Plenty of people were skeptical when Ryan Poles made the #1 overall pick available earlier this year. Teams don’t trade the most valuable selection in an entire draft. They always take the best player on the board. The Chicago Bears GM felt differently. He had a roster that needed tons of work. Auctioning the pick off to the highest bidder could help him accumulate more assets to find more players. As everybody knows, such moves come with risks. Acquiring the picks was one thing. Turning them into good players is another.
Following the victory over Carolina on Thursday night, a re-evaluation of that move a few months ago suggests it could become something special. Start with the big name the Bears secured in the deal: wide receiver D.J. Moore. He is on pace for over 1300 yards this season. That would make him only the fifth player in franchise history to reach such an accomplishment. He’s doing this despite instability at quarterback and questionable coaching. He’s only 26 years old and still under contract for two more years.
Next is Darnell Wright. He is the player Poles ended up with after moving down. The big right tackle from Tennessee has the highest grade among rookies this season, showcasing ability in pass protection and as a run blocker. He has a bright future as his experience keeps growing.
Then there is the biggest prize. That is Carolina’s 1st round pick in 2024.
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Ryan Poles could put an incredible exclamation point on the trade.
By beating the Panthers on Thursday night, the Bears dropped them to a 1-8 record. Carolina now regains control of the #1 overall pick next year, which means Chicago controls it. Try to imagine the possibility unfolding. Poles securing a star receiver and a potential franchise tackle in the first phase of the trade. Just think what might happen if Poles gets that top pick and turns it into the first genuine franchise quarterback this organization has had in decades. It would go down as the single greatest deal ever concocted by a Bears GM.
Nothing is certain. We all know that. Ryan Poles still has to figure out the coaching situation. It doesn’t look like Matt Eberflus has the necessary traits to lead this organization to where it wants to go. Finding a quarterback is one thing. Finding somebody to develop him is another. Still, GM Ryan Poles has positioned the Bears for a gigantic leap forward next season. All of it stems from his willingness to trade that #1 pick in March. If Carolina cooperates down the stretch and he can stick the landing with the right quarterback, Poles could cement his place in Bears history before his 40th birthday.
