Ryan Poles had to pick up the pieces left behind by Ryan Pace when he arrived in 2022. The former GM had done everything he could to make the Chicago Bears a contender, but too many reckless mistakes led to them floundering in mediocrity over a three-year period before sinking back into the basement in 2021. Poles made his opinion of Pace’s work clear when he gutted the roster the moment he took over. More than anything, it was clear the 36-year-old had a problem with how Pace built it in the first place.
He made aggressive trades in the draft, hoping to land coveted players he felt could be stars while leaning heavily on free agency to plug other holes. It’s why the Bears got old so fast. His refusal to build through the draft resulted in the window barely staying open for a couple of years. Larry Mayer of Chicagobears.com put it in perspective with this tweet.
From 2015 through 2021, the Bears made a total of 28 picks in the top 150 during Pace’s run. That is an average of 4.67 per year. Poles is already on track to have 33 if he reaches six seasons with the team, and that is despite being left with almost nothing to work with by Pace in his first year.
Ryan Poles understands the value of those picks.
Since 2000, a total of 583 players selected in the top 150 spots of a draft have made at least one Pro Bowl. That number falls to 70 for the remaining picks after that. Giving away those picks so willingly, as Pace did, cost his team priceless opportunities to land good players. Two such selections ended up becoming All-Pros Fred Warner and Alvin Kamara. One can only imagine how Poles would’ve felt if that had happened to his Kansas City Chiefs team. It’s clear he has no intention of letting it.
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Chicago already made 11 picks last season. This year they have ten, and it sounds like they’re looking for more. It is amazing how different Ryan Poles is. Where Pace gave away picks like free candy, he collects them like Smaug hoarding gold in his cave. He believes more picks mean more opportunities to land good players. There is nothing wrong with that logic. History shows teams that rely on volume when it comes to picks have success finding talent. As long as Poles isn’t completely worthless as a talent evaluator, the Bears are in far better hands.
Martin calls me his fan boy. That’s because I fan the sweat of of his forehead when I tea bag him
Poles has a logical vision. Draft and sign free agents with the prototypical size at each position that will will thrive in our schemes. Pace was more of a get him at all cost if he liked a particular player. We are in far better hands with Pace and him having a friend like Cunningham as an asst. is a huge bonus!
Pace is a Dentist’s Dream with that crazy jaw clenching he has …
Taking nothing away from Poles, it’s hard NOT to be better than Pace was!
@jester Pay no attention to me. I just post crazy comments here. I have nothing else to do except put multiple things in my anus and hope they dont damage my brain.