It is almost impossible to gauge where the head of a GM and his scouts are during the early stages of a draft evaluation process. However, their in-game attendance can always tell the story. Last year, it was obvious Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears were gravitating towards quarterbacks and wide receivers. This year, it started out with offensive linemen and pass rushers. One would think that the process would continue in that direction. To a degree, it has, but there has been a noticeable shift in the past week.
Two reports surfaced of Bears representatives appearing at games. After close examination, one thing became clear: Offensive line and pass rushers weren’t the focus. Instead, another position stood out—one that didn’t look like a need at first but might become one next year.
Safety.
Ryan Poles sees an unfortunate development happening.
Safety wasn’t a concern for the Bears at the start of October. Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker looked like a solid pairing. That has changed. Brisker suffered a concussion on October 6th. He still hasn’t returned from it. When a player takes over a month to recover from that type of injury, an organization must consider steps for life after him. Remember that Brisker has a contract situation coming up next season. It will be the last year of his rookie deal. Unless Ryan Poles is willing to gamble on extending him, the smart thing to do would be to find insurance in the 2025 draft.
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The two names they are watching are Oklahoma’s Billy Bowman Jr. and Michigan’s Rod Moore. Bowman is considered a high 2nd round prospect and could jump into the 1st with a strong year. Moore was a key part of the Wolverines’ national championship run last season. Both could be really good in the NFL. It comes down to if Ryan Poles and the Bears think they can fit well in this defense.
