GM Ryan Poles has shown several times during his tenure that he isn’t afraid to work the phones for a trade this time of year. His big swings on Chase Claypool and Montez Sweat are such examples. Poles has said he will do what is necessary to make the Chicago Bears a better football team. Within reason, of course. One would think that with them sitting at 2-2, he might feel the urgency to get some extra help. Maybe he seeks another option at running back, hoping to give the Bears’ dormant ground game a jolt. Or perhaps it’s a pass rusher to help improve their league-low sack total.

Rumors have circulated about a possible move at least being considered. Sports Mockery insider Jeff Hughes confirmed this. The simple explanation is the Bears working the phones, seeing who is available and what the prices are. However, it doesn’t sound like they’re planning a big move. If something happens, it will be of the modest variety. They understand this isn’t the time to take reckless swings.

The Chicago Bears will only make a move if the price is right.

Anybody who understands the trade deadline knows it can be difficult to find bargains. Most teams aren’t ready to admit their season is over, even if their record clearly indicates as much. That means the Chicago Bears might have to slightly overpay if they want a potential difference-maker. Either that, or they must content themselves with shopping the secondary market, hoping to land somebody who may benefit from a change of scenery.

As things stand, it doesn’t feel like things are unfolding that way. You can usually tell if it will be a buyer’s market a few weeks ahead of the deadline. Right now, there are no such vibes. More deals will happen in the next 21 days. It merely feels like none of them will fit the type that the Bears are hoping for. Then again, a lot can change in three weeks.

Caleb Williams had no shortage of doubters after last season ended. His rookie season was far from the worst the NFL has seen in recent years. However, because Williams was a #1 pick and because of the hype surrounding him, nothing short of star-caliber numbers would’ve sufficed. Going 5-12 and taking 68 sacks confirmed to many that the quarterback wasn’t ready for the NFL. He might never be ready. The Chicago Bears weren’t willing to admit that. They believed in Williams’ ability and knew they had to put him in a better situation.

That meant bringing in somebody with the knowledge and credibility to develop a quarterback. Enter Ben Johnson. The former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator authored the resurrection of Jared Goff over the past three years. His intelligence and background as a quarterback gave him the necessary tools to help Williams improve. Joe Theismann knows something about that. The former Super Bowl champion thought his career was over in the late 1970s. Then Joe Gibbs arrived and turned him into a star. He spoke with Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron about Williams.

Theismann sees a young quarterback who has significantly evolved his game.

“The first thing that jumps out in my mind is the growth he’s shown from year one to year two,” Theismann stated. “Last year, he was a true rookie in the National Football League, trying to survive. He thought he could outrun defensive linemen at this level. He thought he could get away from a lot of people. He found out he couldn’t, and he held onto the football a bit longer. What Ben’s got him doing right now is get back, get the ball out of your hands, and let the guys that are supposed to run with it and catch it do their jobs… I think this year, he’s been much more disciplined.”

Theismann probably sees a lot of himself in Caleb Williams.

While he was never a #1 overall pick, the former Washington Redskins quarterback was known in college for his mobility and a knack for making off-script plays. However, that didn’t save him from the realities of the NFL. It took him years to master the pro game. He had more interceptions than touchdowns in his first six seasons. He drastically improved in 1982 and became an MVP, boasting a 2-to-1 touchdown-interception ratio. He understood that sometimes it’s the right situation that helps a young quarterback find his footing.

Theismann was fortunate to play in an era where organizations were more patient. These days, you’d better show progress by your second season or you’re in big trouble. Thankfully, Johnson’s arrival seems to have put Caleb Williams on the right path. It hasn’t been perfect, but compared to last year, it’s been a lot better. Given some time, we may see the same blossoming Theismann enjoyed all those years ago.

Ryan Poles should thank his lucky stars for managing to land Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson. Were it not for those two, the Chicago Bears would likely be 0-4, and Poles might already be fired. It has become increasingly evident that the man has poor evaluation skills in critical areas. Nowhere has that proven more obvious than the defensive line. Outside of Gervon Dexter, the Bears have failed to develop anybody of note for their front four. Meanwhile, Poles has tried subsidizing it with multiple high-priced veterans.

All of them are either underachieving or outright bad.

Friday’s injury report brought further confirmation of Poles’ blunder. Grady Jarrett, who signed for $14.25 million per year in March, was the only player not to practice. He already missed the game in Las Vegas with a knee injury, and it doesn’t seem as if there’s been any improvement. Add the fact that Jarrett has yet to register a sack, and you can’t help but wonder what purpose he serves outside of veteran leadership. What’s worse is that the contract is basically locked in place due to dead money until 2027. So the Bears are stuck with it.

Ryan Poles’ misfires don’t end there.

Jarrett’s issues have managed to hide how underwhelming Dayo Odeyingbo has been as well. The big defensive end signed for $16 million a year. While he has been a great run defender, he has only one sack in five games. His six total pressures rank him 82nd in the NFL. Ryan Poles’ two biggest veteran additions to the roster have been massive disappointments. This furthers the growing list of evidence that the Bears GM has a serious issue evaluating the veteran market. We can’t forget other setbacks, such as Chase Claypool, Nate Davis, Darrell Taylor, and Ryan Bates.

All of this has put the Bears in a tight financial situation. They don’t have any clear ways to free up cap space for next offseason unless they’re willing to restructure several contracts. That is something they’ve wanted to avoid. The only way to get rid of Jarrett’s deal is by trading him, and that is all but impossible given recent events. Barring an unexpected turnaround, it appears that the organization will need to correct these mistakes early in the draft.

Having Poles involved in that process doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

The long-awaited rematch is here: Bears vs. Commanders on Monday Night Football. Both teams have plenty of storylines, but Chicago is chasing redemption on the road. Last year, they nearly walked away with a win, only for it to end in heartbreak—the infamous “Fail Mary.”

This is a must-win. No matter what anyone says, this game matters. A 3-2 record and a victory over their demons is exactly what the Bears need. It’s what Caleb Williams needs. It’s what Ben Johnson needs to keep building momentum in this new chapter of Bears football.

Most Bears teams would struggle here—coming out flat and laying an egg on the road. But if this team wants to be different, they have to find a way to win. And there’s no better way to position themselves for that than being healthier than they’ve been all season.

The Chicago Bears released their Week 6 injury report ahead of the matchup with the Washington Commanders, and the news is mostly positive. Several key players who were limited earlier in the week are trending in the right direction.

Here’s the full breakdown:

*The Bears did not practice Thursday, so participation was an estimation.
^Reserve/Injured; Designated for Return.

Key Takeaways

• Jaquan Brisker (quad) and Jonah Jackson (ribs) were both full participants Friday after being limited earlier, a great sign for the defense and offensive line.
• Darnell Wright (elbow) was upgraded to limited, trending toward availability.
• Austin Booker and Travis Homer, both designated to return from injured reserve, practiced fully and could be active.
• Kyler Gordon (hamstring) and Colston Loveland (hip) remain limited but appear close to returning.

Overall, the Bears injury outlook looks much improved heading into Monday’s matchup with Washington — a significant boost as they look to build momentum and come away with a big time win.

The Chicago Bears knew the game in Las Vegas against the Raiders would be a battle. Both teams were desperate, knowing another loss would all but sink their seasons. That meant an air of desperation would be felt inside Allegiant Stadium. It would come down to who made the fewest mistakes. To that end, it fell on the Bears coaching staff to try forcing the issue. Veteran safety Kevin Byard thought he had a good idea of what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen would do when preparing for the game.

He was surprised by what the coach had cooked up.

Byard revealed on 1920 Football Drive that extensive film study from Allen showed there would be significant opportunities for the defense to force a turnover in the game. It would come down to when the Raiders gave the right look, meaning quarterback Geno Smith would likely throw the ball to a certain spot. Byard was designated as the one to make the play. Sure enough, the Raiders gave those looks not once but twice. The safety intercepted Smith both times. They were two of the four turnovers Chicago would force in the game, and proved crucial to pulling out a 25-24 victory.

This story shows why Dennis Allen was such a great hire for the Bears.

While his reputation as a head coach is not anything special, he’s highly regarded as a defensive coordinator. No position group hates him more than quarterbacks. Dennis Allen has a knack for finding ways to frustrate them with clever disguises, well-timed blitzes, and overall smoke and mirrors. Tom Brady played one of the worst games of his career against him in 2020, throwing three interceptions. The same was true of Matt Ryan that same year, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked eight times. Aaron Rodgers had only 133 yards and two picks in a 38-3 loss against him in 2021.

Dak Prescott and Geno Smith both had their worst games of the season against Allen. The fact that he pulled this off despite a run defense that is one of the worst in the NFL is remarkable. He deserves all sorts of credit for keeping that unit afloat amidst so many health setbacks and other issues. Maybe he can work some of that magic in Washington on Monday night.

By far the biggest surprise of Chicago Bears training camp this year was the ascent of Theo Benedet. People must understand the former undrafted free agent out of British Columbia was a non-factor to start training camp. Nobody expected him to influence the competition at left tackle in any way. He was a camp body. That is why it was a genuine shock when head coach Ben Johnson inserted him into the battle midway through training camp. Apparently, he’d impressed so much that the coaches couldn’t justify holding him back any longer.

Two months later, Benedet is set to make his first start as an NFL left tackle, replacing Braxton Jones. We finally got some new details that explain why Johnson gravitated to the second-year blocker so quickly. Adam Jahns of CHGO did an in-depth column on him. It began with what Johnson and offensive line coach Dan Roushar observed during his preparation.

“I would say that the first thing that we saw was tremendous effort,” Roushar said. “We saw a physicality, a competitiveness, and it was daily. It was consistent over and over and over, and it just continued to impress us.

“And then we saw his play in the preseason, whether it was training camp or in the games, and we felt like, ‘Man, this guy’s really starting to ascend.’ In fact, we felt like maybe a little bit ahead of the curve with what we had expected and it’s just continued to improve. He’s a really hard worker. He’s a smart guy.”

Johnson is a stickler for details.

He wants everything done correctly. It would make sense that he’d like players who appreciate such things. From comments made by Benedet, you can see that.

“Everything has to be so precise in the pros and down here in terms of footwork,” Benedet said. “It’s the difference between your step being two inches or four inches (which) could win or lose the block. Pass pro, my posture was a big issue last year. I was too often over my toes, not with a good base. And I mean, that’s still a work in progress for me, but it’s certainly improved.”

Theo Benedet appreciates the complexity of the NFL level.

He openly admitted that he probably wouldn’t have made it this far if he had jumped south of the border sooner than he did. Theo Benedet didn’t fully embrace playing offensive line from the start. He spent all of high school and even his first year of college trying to make a go of it at tight end. However, it became immediately apparent that he had a gift for offensive line play. Once he grasped that reality, he attacked it with full force. He was smart enough to know he wasn’t polished enough to impress NFL teams in 2023, so he stayed in school another year. That is how he ended up crushing the East-West All-Star game last year and earned a contract with the Bears.

Who knows. If he’d stayed healthy last year, he might’ve seen the field sooner. Whatever the case, Johnson didn’t need long to recognize the qualities Benedet had. Major college programs in the U.S. were interested in him. They saw the possibilities. Perhaps it is fortunate he chose to stay in Canada. Chicago may not have landed him otherwise.