It's fair to assess moves Ryan Poles has made as Chicago Bears GM, but context is required when viewing his performance and the play of quarterback Justin Fields.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields looks before making a pass during the third quarter against the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023.
Poles said the Bears would have to be “blown away” by a quarterback to consider drafting one, and all signs pointed to the Bears rolling with Fields, something they affirmed before free agency when he traded the pick to the Carolina Panthers for wide receiver DJ Moore, the Panthers’ first-round pick in 2024 and second-round pick in 2025.
The offensive line needed major work. The Bears signed right guard Nate Davis to a three-year, $30 million contract and drafted right tackle Darnell Wright in the first round. Davis missed two games after the death of his mother, and injuries have forced the Bears to scramble up front. Left guard Teven Jenkins suffered a right calf injury in a conditioning drill in Indianapolis, landing him on injured reserve, and a nagging neck injury sent left tackle Braxton Jones to IR as well.
You can’t fault Poles’ logic in keeping Fields this season and attempting to put him in a position to succeed. It likely made sense to those throughout the organization. Fields flashed on occasion as a rookie in 2021, and the team had invested heavily by trading up to get him. If he clicked, the rebuild would be expedited. The Bears are maintaining a positive outlook about the possibility Fields turns the corner, but there’s not much else they can say at this point.
The draft classes need to be examined as the season plays out. The Bears need to see Wright turn into a foundation for the line. Young players on the defensive line and in the secondary need to show growth. Poles was short on draft capital in 2022 as the bill came due for the trade to get Fields, but third-round pick Velus Jones looks like a wide receiver without a role.
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