Ryan Poles wasn’t sure what he had when he first took over the Chicago Bears in January. Especially at the quarterback position. While he liked Justin Fields as a prospect coming out of Ohio State, he’d never had an opportunity to learn who the young man is and how he thinks. The talent is obvious, but it takes more than size, speed, and a strong arm to play quarterback in the NFL. Speculation persisted that the GM may have reservations about a player he had no hand in drafting.
It sounds like that tone has shifted over the past four months. Poles appeared on the Mully & Haugh show for 670 The Score to discuss the team’s current status. The Bears added 11 draft picks and 16 undrafted free agents to the roster over the course of last weekend. While there was a great infusion of youth, many still weren’t satisfied with the investment on offense. They still wonder how much this regime thinks he’s the guy. When asked, Poles put that to bed once and for all.
On @mullyhaugh, Ryan Poles said he has "sky high" belief in Justin Fields: "He is locked in, he is focused and he wants to be great. He's a first-in, last-out guy and he is pulling this team together. … His presence is showing up and he's starting to take over."
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) May 6, 2022
Ryan Poles on @ESPN1000 on Justin Fields: “We’re all in on Justin. I believe in Justin. Our coaches believe in Justin.
Like I said from the beginning, we’re going to set him up to succeed.”— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) May 6, 2022
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Bears GM Ryan Poles with more on Justin Fields:
"There's a long journey here. There's going to be some ups & downs. Obviously we have to get to camp. I know he's cleaning some things up some techniques, so it's not all going to be perfect, but it's coming.— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) May 6, 2022
That sounds like a man who has been won over.
Going back to last season, coaches said that Fields had a presence about him. His quiet confidence, steady leadership, and relentless work ethic made him easy to like. The toughness he showed in the 12 games he played also stood out. Ryan Poles didn’t want to make any grand statements until he’d had a chance to learn who the QB was. It sounds like he loves what he sees and is ready to do whatever he can to help Fields blossom.
Nobody can say he hasn’t invested resources in the offense. Six of the Bears’ 11 draft picks were offensive players, including four offensive linemen. He added wide receiver Velus Jones in the 3rd round and signed solid veteran Byron Pringle from Kansas City. Lucas Patrick should be an upgrade at center too. If Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom take steps forward from their respective rookie seasons at right and left tackle, this unit might be better than people think.
Not to mention a likely upgrade in coaching under offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. While his value remains to be seen, he can’t possibly be worse than Matt Nagy. Poles feels his quarterback will be better in 2022, and the GM won’t stop looking for ways to help him.
