Ryan Poles continues to prove why he’s the best Chicago Bears GM in my lifetime
Ryan Poles continues to prove how he is quickly becoming the best general mangager in Chicago Bears history — at least in my lifetime. These two reasons point out exactly why.
I am 40 years old. Many people name Jim Finks as the brains behind the star-studded roster the Chicago Bears threw together in the early 80s that led them to one of the greatest seasons in NFL history — the 1985 Bears. Finks was the general manager from 1974 to 1982 — one year before I was born.
With him overseeing the Bears outside of my lifetime, it is already too easy for me to anoint Ryan Poles as the best general manager the Chicago Bears have had in my lifetime.
Whoa! I know what you might be thinking. How can you call a general manager who has overseen a team that has only won 10 of 24 games in the last two years the best GM in my 40 years of existence? Well, it’s fairly simple for two reasons.
First, the other general managers who preceded him quickly proved why they weren’t the best for the job. Two, the attention to detail and the process behind every decision Poles makes is of sound judgment.
For those of you out there already screaming and ready to put your phone down rather than continue reading, just hear me out for a minute. Yes, I am even talking to all of the Justin Fields supporters and Caleb Williams haters out there.
Don’t forget, I am also a Fields supporter and I was ready to trade that first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft if Poles thought it was the best decision. I also thought it was a good time to move on from Fields if Poles thought it was the best decision. In Poles I trust.
We should all trust Ryan Poles to come ahead as Chicago Bears GM
Why is it that I trust Poles this much? Well, it goes back to before the Chicago Bears even hired him. When researching the candidates being considered for the job, Poles quickly became my favorite.
Coming from a winning organization like the Kansas City Chiefs helps, but seeing him survive not only one, two, but three regimes meant he was doing a great job.
Essentially, Poles is proving me and others right with his cool-as-a-cucumber demeanor and down-to-earth personality. He is transparent when and with the people he needs to be while keeping a tight ship for the most part at Halas Hall.
Some might point to his failure of trading a second-round pick to the Steelers for Chase Claypool and say, what are you talking about here, Rob? Well, as I’ve said over and over again, the process of that trade made sense at the time even if the result didn’t pan out as anyone hoped. No general manager ever bats .1000.
Onto reason number one…
Ryan Poles reveals thought process for Chicago Bears selection of Rome Odunze
When the Chicago Bears selected wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, it represented one of the rare times that the Bears not only made the right selection but the obvious one.
With it being known since the Senior Bowl in January that the Bears were going to take Caleb Williams with the first overall selection, the intrigue for the Bears was at No. 9.
While a trade-back is often the move that the Bears would opt for, especially under Poles, such a move was never considered this year.
Poles joined Pat McAfee on Wednesday and confirmed with Odunze on the board, the decision was no-brainer.
The Chicago Bears were locked on Rome Odunze during the 2024 NFL Draft.
It was last Thursday night when Poles revealed that Ian Cunningham had to convince the Bears’ general manager not to trade up in order to ensure that they were able to select Odunze.
Thanks to the Atlanta Falcons and their baffling decision to take quarterback Michael Penix Jr., that left Odunze on the board with the Bears on the clock.
For as much as Bears fans want to keep pointing out the failures that the Bears have had in developing past quarterbacks such as Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields, Poles’ actions prove that he is truly ushering in a new era for the Bears.
The fact that the Bears always had their sights set on Odunze with the ninth overall selection proves that Poles is going to leave no stone unturned as he looks to ensure that Williams is in a position to succeed as the starting quarterback of the Bears.
If you want to live in the past and continue to be upset with how Fields’ development was handled, that is fine but the Bears are not going to wait for you to get over your hurt feelings.
Former Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields could have a bold new role with Steelers
In 2024, the way kickoffs look to fans will be much different than they’re likely used to seeing, as the NFL will be adopting the XFL’s kickoff design.
The new kickoff rules could mean an increased role for a number of players across the league, and that includes a former Chicago Bears quarterback.
Special teams coordinators now have a bit more creativity with how they attack kickoffs, and in Pittsburgh, creativity could be at an all-time high with how they could plan on returning kicks in 2024.
Former Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields could be returning kicks for the Steelers next season
As Bears fans saw, Justin Fields was electric with the ball in his hands. Anytime he took off running, fans got to their feet to see how Fields could blow their mind next.
Strictly as a passer, there were areas of his game that could use improvement, but with the ball in his hands in open space, truly any play could result in a touchdown for Fields.
At 6-foot-3, 228 pounds, Fields has a build that could take a few hits.
This could be something that people see as disrespectful to Fields as a quarterback, but in the NFL, it’s important for players to put themselves in positions to further their team to the best of their ability. With how dynamic Fields is as a runner, this could be a spot for him to shine.
Fields’ speed is something that most defenses don’t want to deal with, and that is certainly true against special teams.
With how creative special teams coordinators can get now, Fields could win over the hearts of Chicago once again with his best impression of Bears’ Hall of Famer, Devin Hester.
Maybe Jaylen Warren was just goofing around, but if he’s serious, Fields returning kicks will be must-watch television.