Ryan Poles Decisions Continue to Haunt the Bears
When the Bears tabbed Poles from the Kansas City Chiefs, it was supposed to spearhead a consistent, successful run similar to what the Chiefs have done for over a decade now.
It hasn’t played out that way in the slightest.
Ryan Poles Introduction
Poles, in his introductory presser, announced that the Bears would build through the draft and “Take the North and Never Give It Back”.
Bears’ combined record under his watch is 3-17 vs. the NFC North. He has a 15-38 record in his now nearly 4-year tenure as GM of the Bears. It hasn’t been pretty, to say the least.
Lack of Success in the 3rd Round and Later
Anybody would be foolish to say that the best teams aren’t built through the draft.
To build a sustainable winner is through the draft. The Philadelphia Eagles‘ core was built squarely from the NFL Draft, minus AJ Brown and Saquon Barkley.
Poles drafting isn’t the worst that has been seen, but the problem is that his drafts have left more production out there.
In 2022, you could argue Poles left the draft without addressing the team’s biggest weakness: WR. Instead, he took Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker and let Fields settle with Darnell Mooney, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Velus Jones. Jones is taken over by Romeo Doubs, Khalil Shakir, and Jalen Tolbert, among others.
2023 goes back to the debate about taking Darnell Wright and passing on Jalen Carter in the process. Similar to George Pickens, the previous year, Poles couldn’t look past the glaring red flags that Carter had, but the best lesson is that sometimes taking the best player can pay off big in the long run.
2024 headlined the Caleb Williams draft. It isn’t so much with taking Williams as it is with his process with the other QBs. Not taking Jayden Daniels on a Top 30 visit and, in one report, completely laughing at Drake Maye’s tape while watching with his scouts. It is just a bad look.
2025 Draft Class Off to Disastrous Start
It has only been 2 games, so I am not saying what has happened in the 2 games is what the future holds for these players.
But, when you take a tight end in the 1st round, especially when there is another tight end winning Rookie of the Week and looking like a steal at 14 in Tyler Warren, you really needed Colston Loveland to show more. He has taken roughly half the snaps in each of the first two games and has a combined 3 targets with one catch.
Luther Burden, a potential 1st round talent, slipping to the 2nd round, looked like a great pick to fill the slot position, but he also has barely touched the field or been utilized.
Both Shemar Stewart and Ozzy Trapilo both were healthy scratches. No matter what people say, whether it’s the depth or whatever else, that is not a good look when two 2nd round picks are healthy scratches already.
Bears Outlook
Right now, it looks rough, and not even the biggest believers in the Bears and Ryan Poles can deny it.
The other 3 NFC North counterparts at least have a win. The Packers look like a serious Super Bowl contender. The Lions just put 52 on the Bears. The Vikings, while struggling to get JJ McCarthy going, have a better, more balanced roster.
The thing that puts a big sting on it is that Poles just received a contract extension. He is tied to Chicago through 2029. If the Bears choose to let him go, that is more money being paid for a person to not be in the organization.
It looks rough right now, but if Caleb Williams becomes that guy, even in the darkness of the record not being what many want, the Bears would win out in the end.
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Categorized:Bears