Ryan Poles said his primary goal during his first press conference. The words were clear and concise. “We’re going to build through the draft.” He wasn’t lying. After inheriting five picks from predecessor Ryan Pace, Poles turned that into 11 by the end of the 2022 draft, thanks to a series of trades. Now another deal with Philadelphia has netted the Chicago Bears an additional 4th round pick. Coupled with a possible 7th round compensatory selection, the team is looking at nine picks going into the 2023 draft.
People must understand how significant this could be for the franchise. When they took over, previous GMs declared their intent to build through the draft. Then they would immediately deal picks away for players or aggressive moves up the board. If that number holds, Poles will be the first to have more than 15 picks in his first two drafts in two decades.
- Ryan Poles – 19*
- Ryan Pace – 15
- Phil Emery – 12
- Jerry Angelo – 21
There is something to be said about stockpiling picks. Angelo’s first two drafts netted Alex Brown, Charles Tillman, Lance Briggs, Ian Scott, and Justin Gage. All became vital contributors to the eventual 2006 Super Bowl team. So there is an obvious logic to Poles’ approach. More ammunition equals more opportunities to land good players.
Ryan Poles is in an excellent position to turn this team around.
Think about where the Bears were in January. They finished 6-11 and were in complete disarray. Their locker room was deflated, and the coaching staff had worn out its welcome. Never mind that the roster was the oldest in the NFL, overrun with bad contracts. Poles set about cutting all the dead weight, overturning two-thirds of the depth chart, and clearing out cap space for next year. By rights, this team should be the worst in the league. Instead, they’re 3-4, the same record the 2021 Bears had.
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Only this time, the future is looking much brighter. Ryan Poles has eight draft picks and $125 million in cap space waiting for him next off-season. There is so much flexibility. He also seems to have found a quality head coach in Matt Eberflus, who has the team playing smart, high-intensity football. It’s hard not to feel good about the direction of this team.
