Ryan Poles is one of the youngest GMs in the NFL. So people inevitably treat him as the sports version of a kid. While he may have plenty of raw intelligence, his experience level is a concern. He hasn’t been exposed to enough of the high-level workings of a front office to understand its challenges. That was the risk George McCaskey took when he made Poles GM of the Chicago Bears. He was willing to bet the man did enough of his homework to be prepared for any scenario he might face going into a pivotal 2023 off-season.
Sure enough, he was faced with one right out of the gate. Now that the Bears hold the #1 pick in the draft, the inevitable question arrived. Would he consider ending the Justin Fields experiment and picking a quarterback of his own? It’s a reasonable question. Fields wasn’t all that great as a passer this past season. He doesn’t have much longevity as a run-first guy, even with his elite athleticism.
Poles made it clear the plan is for Fields to be the starter next season, with the team spending the next several months trying to improve the roster around him. However, he also said he’d consider a quarterback at #1 but only if one of them absolutely blew him away. Former Pro Bowl wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson explained why this approach was brilliant for the Bears GM.
Ryan Poles understands the primary rule.
The less other teams know about his intentions, the better. His answer to the media was just vague enough to leave other GMs wondering if he might actually consider taking a quarterback. That will increase the possible urgency to move up for their preferred guy. At the same time, it will cause other teams to call him about Fields’ availability. This will help him gauge the market on what he could get for the Bears QB if he decides to make a change. Information is the most valuable thing on a battlefield. This approach ensures Poles will accumulate all the knowledge he needs to make the right decision for his franchise.
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The beauty is Ryan Poles does not need to feel rushed. The longer he waits, the more uncomfortable others teams will become about their own plans for the draft. They’ll start second-guessing whether it is a good idea to take one approach. Maybe moving up to #1 is the best thing they could do. It’s the only way to ensure they get their guy. Sooner or later, one of them will break. That is what Poles is banking on by not giving straight answers. He’s playing the game.
