A few days ago, I wrote that the Chicago Bears were starting to look like a team focused on doing some serious work in the draft. People would’ve shrugged at that idea. After all, the team only has six picks total. This is why I believed that GM Ryan Poles had plans for possibly adding more, most likely via a series of moves down, presuming no other players are shipped out. GM Ryan Poles had a chance to speak on this down at the owners meetings.
True to form, he didn’t even blink. Poles immediately said the team is open to trading quarterback Nick Foles but hasn’t found a buyer yet. As for Robert Quinn, it doesn’t sound like they’re prepared to entertain that idea. Khalil Mack, on the other hand, felt like the right decision. Sending him to the Los Angeles Chargers for 2nd and 6th round picks gave the Bears some desperately needed flexibility next month. The primary reasons behind the move were analytics, including age and playing time.
Now with two picks in the 2nd round, they have options.
Poles is no stranger to seeing a team move around on Day 2 to secure more picks. The Kansas City Chiefs moved down twice in the 2016 draft to secure four extra selections. They still ended up with stud defensive lineman Chris Jones. It sounds like the GM and his staff are preparing for a similar approach in 2022. With no 1st round pick, Poles needs to take advantage of what he believes is a deep draft, according to Adam Jahns of The Athletic.
“This draft, in those mid rounds, it’s deep,” he said. “It puts us in range of really good players. And at the same time, that also allows (us) to maneuver a little bit. Because we don’t have a ton of picks, so if there is a way to create more, we’ll be open to that.”
Everything is pointed in that direction. The Bears remain quiet on the veteran free agent market. They haven’t signed anybody of note in days and still have more than two dozen roster spots left to fill. Pole said from the beginning he intends to build through the draft. That isn’t possible with only six picks and no 1st rounder. So the only course open to him, if he wishes to adhere to his philosophy, is by acquiring more.
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Ryan Poles inherits a scouting staff equipped for this mission
One of Ryan Pace’s most puzzling parts as Bears GM was his unwillingness to move back more often to acquire more picks. Much of this was because the Bears’ scouting department seemed rather adept at helping the organization find quality talent in the later rounds. Names like Adrian Amos, Jordan Howard, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Bilal Nichols, Trevis Gipson, and Darnell Mooney were all secured in the 5th round or later.
That doesn’t include Eddie Jackson and Tarik Cohen, who were each 4th round picks. Both were eventual All-Pros. Yet, for whatever reason, Pace never got over his compulsion to move up in the draft instead of down constantly. Ryan Poles will certainly pull a 180 if he establishes a reputation for moving down instead. One thing is clear.
The two men couldn’t be more different.
Pace was a big believer in combining free agency and the draft to build a roster. This was undoubtedly fed by his deep background as a pro personnel scout. Poles is a college scout to the core. He believes the draft is how you build a proper contender. Free agency is meant to be the sprinkles on the cake after it’s finished. The next month is going to be fascinating to watch unfold.
