The job of every NFL general manager is to always be prepared for any scenario. Putting all your eggs in one basket is a fast pass to unemployment in this league. Ryan Poles seems to understand that lesson better than most. He spent the 2023 off-season doing everything in his power to help Justin Fields take a step forward. The offensive line was overhauled with free agent Nate Davis and 1st round pick Darnell Wright. D.J. Moore invigorated the receiving corps following a trade from Carolina. It’s the second year in Luke Getsy’s system. Everything is pointing up for the third-year quarterback.
However, Poles has ensured he won’t get caught with his pants down if Fields flops this season. That Carolina trade also yielded an extra 1st round pick, meaning the Chicago Bears now have two at their disposal in 2024. This means one of two things. Either Poles can use them to find two blue-chip talents for the roster, or he can go hunting a quarterback of his choosing. The GM has already started the evaluation process for next year’s class. Draft insider Jordan Reid reported that Poles was in attendance for the Clemson-Duke game on September 4th. That was quickly followed by Kevin Fishbain reporting Poles had already attended East Carolina-Michigan, North Carolina-South Carolina, and LSU-Florida State.
The common denominator with all of those games? They feature potential 1st round quarterbacks.
Ryan Poles isn’t shying away from public perception.
He prefers quarterbacks with size that can run. Admittedly, that is somewhat vague, but it’s according to the best information available. Chicago signed Tyson Bagent as an undrafted free agent in the spring. He’s 6’3 with good mobility. J.J. McCarthy (Michigan), Drake Maye (North Carolina), Jordan Travis (Florida State), and Riley Leonard (Duke) all fit that same profile. Leonard is 6’4, 212 lbs, and showcased his dual-threat capability with that 44-yard highlight run for a score Monday night. It wasn’t an isolated incident. He rushed for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. McCarthy and Travis also had tremendous performances, while Maye won a tough rivalry game.
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People will scoff at the idea of a good quarterback coming from Duke. They should be reminded that the program has produced some solid names. Daniel Jones just inked a lucrative contract extension in New York. Sonny Jurgensen is in the Hall of Fame. What school a player went to doesn’t matter. It’s about if they have the talent, poise, leadership, accuracy, and swagger a quarterback needs. Leonard has the talent. So do the other names Ryan Poles wanted to get a live look at.
One thing is clear. He plans to be ready in the event Fields doesn’t take the next step. If the Bears need to find another quarterback, Poles will have his research already in hand.
