Ryan Poles isn’t focused on the past. That isn’t his job. He must keep his vision on the future. Making the Chicago Bears into a contender and keeping them that way is what a GM must do. To do that job correctly, he needed to get a firm idea of the roster he inherited from last year. So he went back and watched every game the Bears played from start to finish. He wasn’t impressed.
While the roster itself needs work, Poles has hinted multiple times over the past week that the coaching was a serious problem as well. That first popped up when he stated his strong belief that a new offensive system led by Luke Getsy would go a long way in helping Justin Fields take a step forward this year. Not a ringing endorsement of the job Matt Nagy did last season.
Then the Bears GM did it again.
Poles spoke with the media at length down at the NFL owners meetings in West Palm Beach, Florida. At one point he was asked what the most important aspect of Fields’ development might be in 2022. His answer wasn’t the typical one people might’ve expected, according to Larry Mayer of Chicagobears.com.
“One, and I saw this on tape last year, is just continuity with his receivers. It seemed, especially with Mooney, it was off.”
“I don’t know if that’s just the way that they had it structured with who was starting and who wasn’t starting,” Poles said. “[But] I had a conversation with [Fields]. I had it with Mooney. I had it with Cole.”
If that sounds familiar to Bears fans, it should. It was the primary criticism experts fired at Nagy and his staff for months after the team drafted Fields last April. Wanting to start Andy Dalton over the rookie was fine. Yet, for the coaches to give Fields zero work with the #1 offense throughout all of training camp was baffling. Then the team acted surprised when the quarterback looked out of sync with guys like Darnell Mooney and Allen Robinson. It was a staggering case of mismanagement, made even crazier by the fact that Nagy is a former QB.
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Ryan Poles has no plans to make the same mistakes.
Getsy and head coach Matt Eberflus made it crystal clear from the start. Fields is the starting quarterback. This is his football team, and everything regarding the new offense will be structured around what he does best. He, Mooney, and Cole Kmet have already worked together multiple times this offseason. By the time training camp rolls around, their chemistry should be significantly improved from last season.
That leaves what Ryan Poles has planned for the offensive personnel. His moves thus far haven’t been flashy, but they at least follow a clear plan. Wide receiver Byron Pringle brings more speed and after-the-catch ability to the table. Something the Bears lacked last season. New center Lucas Patrick has greater mobility than Sam Mustipher and also plays with a nasty streak. It is clear the GM wants players that will go that extra mile to help their quarterback.
His plans for the draft figure to be interesting.
Poles hasn’t dabbled much in the veteran market. It is evident he aims to build his roster through draft picks. With no 1st rounder this year, his job is more challenging than normal. Still, he is steadfast in his course. Admirable if nothing else.
