The Chicago Bears found another brutal way to lose on Thursday Night Football. More than ever, they looked exactly like what they are: a rebuilding team. GM Ryan Poles indicated at every opportunity that he felt this roster wasn’t nearly good enough to compete for the playoffs. Forget about the Super Bowl. So he started unloading expensive contracts and overturned two-thirds of the roster. He is committed to hitting the reset button.
While the loss to the Washington Commanders was brutal to watch, it illustrated everything Poles could want in how this season is unfolding. That might sound crazy, but it makes perfect sense for somebody with an eye on the long term. There are a few reasons to think the Bears GM is quietly happy about how the season unfolds. Sure, it’s hard to stomach, but it could positively impact his overall strategy to restructure the team.
“We always get told that we are almost there, almost there. Me personally, I’m tired of being almost there.”
– Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields(Video via @ChicagoBears) pic.twitter.com/djDm9FBT8K
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) October 14, 2022
Ryan Poles has multiple options on Justin Fields.
This will sound harsh, but Ryan Poles didn’t draft Fields. People must keep that in mind. He’s committed to the former 1st round pick this year. That will not change. However, if the young QB continues to struggle, it leaves the door open for the GM to make a potential change next year. That doesn’t mean he will. Fields has shown enough to think he deserves another year with more help around him.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Many GMs don’t get that option. Either the QB sucks and the team is forced to find a replacement, or he’s locked into an immovable contract. The Bears are neither. If Fields finishes on a high note, Poles can focus on finding more pieces to put around him. If he flounders, the Bears can consider alternatives with minimal consequences.
That’s nuts. Inches away. pic.twitter.com/mikWFY3ByN
— Sean Hammond (@sean_hammond) October 14, 2022
A top 5 pick is almost in the bag already.
Losing to Washington puts the Bears are 2-4. Now their reward is back-to-back road games in New England and Dallas. They are two of the best defensive teams in the NFL right now. It’s a safe assumption both of those games will be losses. Then they get Miami at home, a brief respite against Detroit and Atlanta, and tangle with the Jets and Packers before the bye. It isn’t hard to imagine this team winning maybe two more games in the next seven weeks. Last but not least, they get Buffalo and Philadelphia coming out of the bye. Yeah, Poles may have a top five pick next year already wrapped up.
He has the green light to sell at the trade deadline.
Presuming the Bears reach 2-6 as expected, the Poles won’t have to worry about his team being a borderline playoff contender. They will be squarely out of that picture and can focus on 2023. From that point, he’ll have some decisions to make regarding several veterans on the roster. Chicago only had six picks in the draft next year. Poles probably isn’t keen on that. He’ll want more. That means several key veterans with big contracts or looming extensions might be up for grabs. Robert Quinn and Eddie Jackson are two prime possibilities. Roquan Smith should also be monitored.
