NFL Scout Listed Four O-Linemen Ryan Poles May Target

Ryan Poles is not Ryan Pace. The former GM did everything in his power not to telegraph his intentions for an offseason. His predecessor doesn’t seem too bothered by it. Poles has made one thing crystal clear from the moment he stepped in front of the cameras. The Chicago Bears offensive line isn’t good enough. He wasn’t impressed when reviewing the team’s 2021 season, believing it lacks crucial characteristics, including toughness and violence.

It is a safe assumption that changes are coming up front for the Bears offense. Maybe several changes. James Daniels and Sam Mustipher are free agents. Poles is rumored not to be a big fan of Larry Borom. That could open up three spots for new faces. There is a lot of work to do for a team that doesn’t have many resources to spend. Then again, that didn’t stop the Kansas City Chiefs from working some magic last offseason. They found two starters in the 3rd (Creed Humphrey) and 6th round (Trey Smith). Poles likely feels he can do something similar with a bit of luck.

As usual, it comes down to who will be available and when.

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune had a chance to get in touch with some prominent scouts down at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. He asked about possible prospects that could fall in the range of where the Bears draft this April.

“I asked a national scout for one team what prospects here would be potential second- or third-round picks, considering the Bears are without a selection in Round 1. He quickly ticked off four names without consideration of scheme fit or traits.

Daniel Faalele, Minnesota

Zion Johnson, Boston College

Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa

Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan”

Based on what he is saying, it sounds like the 2nd and 3rd rounds could be fertile ground for offensive tackles as Faalele, Penning, and Raimann all are. Johnson is one of the top guard prospects in the class, hailing from Poles’ own Boston College.

Faalele is maybe the biggest attraction down there. Literally and figuratively. The Minnesota tackle is 6’8 and 380 lbs. Just a mountainous human being with tons of power and length. His most significant issues are technique-related. Easy to fix with coaching. Penning is another big dude at 6’7, 321 lbs but stands out in a different way. He is mean. Every block he throws gets delivered with some extra nastiness to it.

Raimann might be the most remarkable story. A native of Austria, he fell in love with American football. After serving in the military, he chased his dream in the U.S. and went from a tight end to a tackle at Central Michigan. While still raw in several ways, his athleticism for such a big man is beyond impressive.

Ryan Poles wants to change the mentality of the Bears offense

One of the biggest influences on him during his short stint in Chicago as an undrafted free agent was Olin Kreutz. The former six-time Pro Bowler was notorious for his grit, toughness, and nasty streak—a big part of why teammates loved him. One could argue the Bears haven’t found anybody to replace that mindset since Kreutz left. Kyle Long came the closest, but injuries derailed his career.

Too often, it felt like Pace wasn’t prioritizing alphas for his blockers. He was too focused on traits like athleticism. That isn’t going to fly for Ryan Poles. Somebody that played those positions. Athleticism is great, but the trenches are won by the guys who set the tone. Guys that can impose their will on the opposition. It has been far too long since the Bears have been able to do that on a consistent basis.

It won’t happen overnight.

That said, this GM is going to look for tone-setters. Blockers that will fight for each other and fight for their quarterback. Nobody is going to push the Bears around. Not anymore. Any of those four names mentioned above would be decisive first steps in the right direction.