RANKING UPDATES: Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles made 10 Vital decisions on his 2-year anniversary been Hired

Any performance evaluation of Ryan Poles’ first two years as Chicago Bears general manager must include the word “Incomplete.”

Poles stated at the Bears’ end-of-season news conference earlier this month that his rebuilding efforts for the team, which finished 7-10 last season, are “just not there yet.” Some of the team’s young players are still maturing. Poles still have roster openings to fill and depth to add. And he faces crucial decisions that will shape the franchise’s direction.

The most important option, of course, is whether the Poles will select a quarterback with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, stick with three-year starter Justin Fields as quarterback, or both.

As Poles prepares to make such decisions in a vital third offseason, here are ten of the most important decisions he has made since the Bears hired him precisely two years ago Thursday.

1. Trading the No. 1 draft selection in 2023.
When Poles traded the No. 1 draft pick to the Carolina Panthers last March, he said he was “over the moon” to add not just first- and second-round picks in 2023 and 2024, as well as wide receiver DJ Moore.

Poles must be somewhere well beyond the moon now, given how the deal has unfolded, perhaps most notably receiving the No. 1 selection this year as a result of the Panthers’ 2-15 record.

Moore finished 2023 with 1,364 receiving yards on 96 catches, ranking fourth all-time among Bears single-season leaders. Darnell Wright, a rookie right tackle, and Tyrique Stevenson, a cornerback, both had good rookie seasons. (The Bears drafted Stevenson after making a second trade.)

One potential critique of the trade is that Poles chose to give Fields at least one more year as the Bears’ starter rather than acquiring a QB prospect like C.J. Stroud, who was ranked second.

Poles was asked this month if he thought his team made a mistake in evaluating Stroud after he helped the Houston Texans reach the divisional round of the playoffs as a rookie this year.

“You have to take in what’s best for your team,” Poles were quoted as saying. “So when you look at that situation and how it ended up playing out, to have DJ, to have Darnell, to have Stevenson, to have the first overall (pick) and to have the second(-round pick) next year, I feel like that’s the best for our organization.”

Poles now has the option to increase the reward on the deal even further depending on what he does with the 2024 No. 1 selection, setting up what might be a watershed moment in franchise history on April 25.

2. Hiring and keeping Matt Eberflus.
On Jan. 25, 2022, two days after the Bears hired Poles as general manager, Poles chose Eberflus as his head coach over Dan Quinn and Jim Caldwell.

Poles stated at the inaugural press conference that he was so confidence in Eberflus, an experienced defensive coach and coordinator but first-time head coach, that “the moment he walked through the room I knew he was the guy, especially when he started going over his plan.”

Despite Eberflus’ 10-24 record throughout the first two seasons, including a 2-10 mark in the NFC North, Poles has remained supportive of him. And Poles did it again earlier last month, when he confirmed Eberflus’ return for a third season. He mentioned Eberflus’ leadership and stability after a rocky season that included a 2-7 start, defensive coordinator Alan Williams’ surprise departure, and constant quarterback speculation as grounds for wanting to keep the coach in 2024.

“When you go through hard times and he can keep everyone together, to me that’s like the critical piece,” Poland remarked. “In a large market like this, you need to be strong. Stability played a significant role. His attention to detail when coaching. I noticed a lot of growth by taking some of the mistakes from the game and putting them into practice to ensure that we’re doing things correctly. There is a reason why we went from three to seven wins. I doubt it’s for him. I believe everything begins to dissolve, and everyone starts to do their own thing.”
Poles and Eberflus have demonstrated a readiness to move on from previous coaches. The Bears fired running backs coach David Walker in the middle of the season for failing to satisfy team standards of behaviour, according to Poles. They also sacked offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and four other assistants this month as they look to improve their offence in 2024.

However, Poles tied the Bears’ future success to Eberflus, whose defence had shown visible progress by the end of the season.

Choosing that path of consistency limited the chance of Poles hiring certain elite offensive coaching candidates whose sights are set on being a head coach rather than an OC, but Poles were certain in their decision. Eberflus chose Shane Waldron, the former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator and play caller, to oversee the Bears’ quarterback next season.

3. Trading for defensive end Montez Sweat.
Sweat described being the only player in NFL history to lead two teams in sacks in a single season as a “cool stat” during locker clean-out day at Halas Hall. He has 6 1/2 sacks with the Washington Commanders before joining the Bears in exchange for a 2024 second-round selection pick.

“But really when I look at that, I feel like I left a lot of meat on the bone,” remarked Sweat. “So I’m going to analyze that over the offseason and come back ready to go.”

Sweat has already gotten off to a fantastic start with the Bears, being one of the driving factors behind the late-season defensive turnaround. He had 14 QB hits and 21 pressures, according to Pro Football Reference, and became what Poles called “a multiplier.”

“He helped that entire defence,” Poles added. “When you added players like that, everyone seemed to have a bit more swagger. I believe it affected the back end. You witnessed an increase in interceptions. You saw us win more games. There is a “Tez Effect” there. I’m really proud of that one. “Great human being as well.”

Poles took a risk by trading for Sweat before reaching a deal on contract extensions. But four days after the deal, the Bears signed Sweat to a four-year, $98 million contract, and the early results are promising — though Sweat still has a long way to go to justify the price.

4. Khalil Mack, an edge rusher, was traded away.

Poles began his Bears career with a bold move: trading the team’s top player.

The Poles traded Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers in March 2022, setting the stage for a multiyear rebuild. The Bears acquired crucial draft picks, which they used to select second-round safety Jaquan Brisker, seventh-round safety Elijah Hicks, and seventh-round punter Trenton Gill. They also freed up some salary cap room.

“I understand why some people would be upset,” Poles stated following the transfer. “It’s not easy for us either, but that’s the nature of the game. That is my job, to do what I believe is best for the business today and in the future.

Of course, the Bears might still benefit from a player like Mack, who produced a career-high 17 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, and 10 passes defensed at the age of 32. He has been named to the Pro Bowl twice in his two seasons with the Chargers.

5. Darnell Wright, a right tackle, was drafted ahead of defensive tackle Jalen Carter

Many analysts regarded Carter to be the most skilled defensive player in the 2023 draft, but his preparation was chaotic.

During the NFL scouting combine, Carter was involved in a crash that killed a Georgia teammate and a staff member. Carter, who was driving a different vehicle than the one that collided, ultimately pleaded no contest to misdemeanour charges of racing and dangerous driving. Despite the turbulence, Carter failed to complete his pro day workout in Georgia.

When Carter became available at No. 9 for the Poles to select in April, the Bears’ general manager traded back one position, letting the Philadelphia Eagles to take Carter while gaining the Bears a 2024 fourth-round pick. The Bears then selected Wright as their first-round pick at No. 10.

Carter and Wright were both named to the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie Team this week. Carter finished with six sacks, nine quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and a fumble return touchdown for the Eagles. Wright started all 17 of the Bears’ games at right tackle.

Poles stated earlier this month that he is really pleased with the move and has high expectations for Wright.

“Darnell did an outstanding job,” Poles said. “He keeps working on his technique. After improving technique and consistency, it’s important to construct a Rolodex of pass rushers to compete against, as each has unique strengths. So once he starts putting that together, you’re going to see a really good player.

“He’s out there right now as a rookie, simply using his natural skill. That was good enough in many games and reps, but it wasn’t in others, and he needs to keep improving. And I’m confident he’ll put in the work. However, he possesses the necessary qualities. He’s rough. “He’s strong.”

6. Trading linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive end Robert Quinn.

In the season and a half since Poles traded Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for second- and fifth-round draft picks, Smith has twice been selected an All-Pro and has helped the Ravens win the AFC Championship this season.

Poles stated at the time of the November 2022 trade that he and Smith were unable to agree on a contract extension. The Ravens signed Smith to a five-year, $100 million contract.

“The reality is that you must ask yourself the question: Will we ever find that middle ground?”Poles said then. “It felt quite unlikely. So, are you able to take advantage of this opportunity to improve your roster now? Or are you willing to accept the possibility that he may leave and we will be unable to use some of his salary to improve our roster? And that’s what it came down to, and I felt we needed to move forward at that point.”

Poles used the draft picks acquired in the transaction to sign defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and linebacker Noah Sewell, and Poles praised Dexter’s rookie season earlier this month. However, it is reasonable to ponder why the Bears were unable to work with Smith.

Despite the fact that Quinn had 18 1/2 sacks with the Bears in 2021, the deal to the Eagles has not raised as many questions. ESPN stated that Quinn did not play this season after being accused with hit-and-run and assault in South Carolina in August. The Bears used their fourth-round pick on wide receiver Tyler Scott, who had a rough rookie season.

7. Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. have signed as linebackers. Edwards

On the flip side of the Smith deal, the Bears signed two linebackers in the summer who found their groove together and were major team leaders throughout the season.

The Bears signed Edmunds to a four-year, $72 million contract and Edwards to a three-year, $19.5 million contract, which now appears to be a bargain given his performance in 2023.

Last season, both guys provided the type of ball production that the Bears expected from Smith. Edmunds won the Bears Ballhawk Award in 2023 after recording four interceptions, including a pick-six, forced fumble, and fumble recovery. Edwards had three interceptions, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.

“You can kind of see it from when they got here just how competitive they are,” linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi said last month. “It’s been relatively consistent throughout the season, just their love and excitement for the game, and it continues on Sunday. The way they prepare has a significant impact on how they play on Sunday, and it’s incredible. It kind of rubs off on the rest of the group, and it’s had such a good impact not only on the playing field but also on the players surrounding them.”

8. Tight end Cole Kmet has signed a contract extension.

Poles’ first extension for a Bears draftee occurred in July, when Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million contract. Kmet stated at the time that he intended to prove the Bears correct, and he then had his best season in four years, with 73 catches for 719 yards and six touchdowns.

“We’ve seen Cole improve steadily since we’ve been here,” Poles said following the extension. “We are excited for him. He exemplifies everything we seek for in a Bear: hard work, devotion, and the way he conducts himself in the locker room. “He is a true professional.”

Kmet’s agreement, however, came between two conversations that the Bears were unable to complete: the aforementioned Smith negotiations and talks with cornerback Jaylon Johnson. The Johnson negotiations broke out at the 2023 trade deadline, prompting Johnson to request a move that did not materialize. However, Poles stated last month that he is sure the Bears would be able to reach an agreement with the cornerback this summer.

9. Using three second-round picks in the secondary.

One of the primary priorities of Poles’ first two offseasons has been strengthening the Bears secondary.

The Poles selected cornerback Kyler Gordon and Brisker with second-round picks in 2022, and Stevenson with another second-round pick in 2023. Last spring, the Poles also recruited Terell Smith, a fifth-round cornerback.

The result has been a promising young bunch anchored by more senior players in Johnson and safety Eddie Jackson, both of whom Poles must make decisions about this offseason.

Gordon improved significantly at nickel from his rookie year to his second season, and Brisker continued to progress. Stevenson and Smith had growing difficulties, but they also demonstrated enough potential to get the Bears enthusiastic about the bunch under cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke.

If Johnson returns and the players remain healthy, it might be a strength in 2024.

“You’ve got to give all the credit to those guys. “The work they do is incredible,” Poles remarked on the team’s pregame radio show in December. “I look out my window even 20-30 minutes after practice, and those guys are still working on ball skills to finish and get interceptions, as well as tiny footwork, position nuances, and different coverages. They worked hard and are now receiving the advantages.

Of course, making such changes to improve the secondary has cost the Bears depth at other positions, and they still need help on the offensive line and at wide out.

10. Trading for Chase Claypool—and then trading him away.

Poles shared an unusual fact while congratulating Chairman George McCaskey and President and CEO Kevin Warren earlier this month.

Poles stated that he was reflecting on a bad midseason move and had entered it into a decision log to discuss what he could have done better.

“We met about it, and they both encouraged me to keep shooting my shot. If you put your log together, you’re hitting the boxes that feel correct, and it’s going to benefit our squad, so keep shooting,” Poles added. “For a decision-maker to have that type of support is incredible.”

Poles did not specify whether the transaction he was unhappy with was the November 2022 acquisition of Claypool, but that was one of Poles’ most egregious mistakes during his brief tenure. He traded a second-round pick for Claypool, who had just 18 catches for 191 yards and one touchdown in 10 games with the Bears. Claypool was benched in October due to poor on- and off-field performance, and he was then transferred to the Miami Dolphins for a 2025 sixth-round pick.

However, Poles continued to fire his shot. Poles acquired Sweat twenty-five days after trading Claypool, and the Bears defence began to improve, making it easier for Eberflus to keep his job.