Something to remember about the entire NFL draft process is that not every team operates the same way. Their power structures are different, the way they evaluate is different, and their priorities are different. There is no set way to build a team. However, certain methods tend to find more success than others. Maybe the Chicago Bears finally found one. It isn’t immediately apparent. The team went 3-14 this past season. That said, there are signs GM Ryan Poles has adopted a method that will work.
Albert Breer of the MMQB spoke about how the Kansas City Chiefs were able to construct a roster that has now won two of the last four Super Bowls. It was here he revealed one part of their evaluation process not many people know about, but it has proven vital to their success.
“Allow the coaches to be integral to the process. The Chiefs’ personnel staff is among the league’s best, and they’ll tell you the reason why is the coaches give them incredibly specific directives in what they’re looking for—which allows them to cull down larger groups of prospects, draft players whom the coaches will feel invested in, and find guys who’ll get on the field faster. This sounds obvious. But it doesn’t work that way everywhere.”
Those comments were fascinating.
It is true that many GMs prefer to pick players they covet and expect the coaches to make it work. The Chiefs are a team that believes a full consensus from both sides is vital. By the sound of things, this is a mentality Poles brought with him from Kansas City when the Bears hired him. Check out these comments from offensive line coach Chris Morgan.
“It was a really cool partnership last year between our scouting department and our coaches,” Morgan said. “It’s nice to be in a place where your opinion is valued, your opinion is respected. So that part is really cool. We had a good time. We worked really hard. Learned about each other in the process last year, and this staff is awesome.
“We all go in-depth. Whether it’s evaluations, whether it’s studying, whether it’s back and forth, why it’s this guy or that guy. There are a lot of building blocks that have been laid. A lot of foundation that has been laid. We do have an identity. We do have toughness.”
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The Chicago Bears are already seeing fruits of this collaboration.
No rookie class logged more snaps in the NFL this past season than the Bears. Kyler Gordon had three interceptions. Jaquan Brisker led the team in sacks. Braxton Jones started every play at left tackle. Velus Jones ranked among the league’s best in kick return average. Jack Sanborn was an emerging starter at middle linebacker before his injury. It was apparent from the start that these were players Poles, Matt Eberflus, and the entire organization were excited about. When everybody is on the same page like that, good things tend to happen.
This problem has plagued the Chicago Bears for the past decade. Phil Emery drafted Shea McClellin in 2012, even though it was obvious he was a poor fit for Lovie Smith’s defense. A few years later, Ryan Pace drafted Mitch Trubisky even though John Fox didn’t want him. That is the danger when the two sides aren’t on the same page. Poles made sure he wasn’t going to fall into that same trap. When he hired Eberflus, he made sure it was somebody that shared his visions of what a championship team must look like. They are on the same page. Now the fun begins.
Dan Hampton isn’t sold on the quality of the coaching staff aside from Eberflus. Doesn’t like Getsy at all.Coaching is 60-70 % of the game as the Super Bowl proved when the Eagle’s inability to adjust was exposed. Mahomes completed every pass he threw at a receiver in 2nd half. Mahomes had one throw away.
Heard a great story about Horace Grant and Mitch Trubisky. Bulls did their work and came to a consensus that they wanted Grant. At the last minute, Jerry Krauss, the GM decided to draft someone else. The others went to Reinsdorf, who demanded Krauss “follow” the process. That is get to a consensus. He relented and the Bulls got a great player, not the dud Krauss wanted. What a different story with the Bears. Disagreement about who to draft and at the end Pace went with “his” guy, Trubisky. NO process, no consensus, no trust. That has been the story… Read more »
Ryan Poles and Ian Cunningham are “on the clock.” There should be no more excuses. But, it’s really not quite a clean slate that Ryan and Ian are dealing with. They have added 21 players to the OL/DL portion of the Bears roster — and only Braxton Jones has shown any reason to believe in their competence.
I wish them luck — because it seems that they’ll need all they can get.
This will be the best Bears offseason ever!!
I got a pain in my stomach just reading the name Shea McClellin. Hope this process works! Bear down.