When the season began, Ryan Poles looked like a GM who’d done some amazing work. He’d built a top-10 defense and completely overhauled the offensive roster, which included a talented quarterback (Caleb Williams) and playmakers like D.J. Moore, D’Andre Swift, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze. Expectations were understandably high. Nobody could’ve imagined it would get this bad. The offense is one of the worst in the NFL and Williams has been sacked an ungodly 38 times in nine games.
No stat sums up how bad it’s been than the one Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic revealed. Since Matt Eberflus arrived in 2022, Bears quarterbacks have been sacked at least six times in a game seven times, including nine in Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots. Such a mind-blowing number rests on two core issues: the offensive line and the coaching. Poles built one and hired the other.
Ryan Poles can’t hide from these failures anymore.
He had a golden opportunity to fix both problems this off-season and chose not to. He kept Eberflus for a third season, arguing the team improved down the stretch in 2023. His only investments on the offensive line were a cheap free agent center (Coleman Shelton), trading for a backup guard (Ryan Bates), and drafting an injured left tackle (Kiran Amegadjie) in the 3rd round. It was bargain shopping. Poles has spent only one pick in the top two rounds of the draft on an offensive lineman.
That, more than anything, tells the story. Now, Ryan Pace did get to hire a second head coach despite three losing seasons. There are reasons to think Ryan Poles will be afforded the same opportunity. He drafted Williams. He should get the chance to see his development through. Then again, history hasn’t always been kind to GMs who get to hire a second head coach after their first flopped. Pace hired Matt Nagy. Dave Caldwell hired Gus Bradley and Doug Marrone. Dave Gettleman hired Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge. Joe Douglas hired Adam Gase and Robert Saleh.
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Poles isn’t guaranteed anything, nor should be be.
Poles is lost on picking players with the right mental attitude towards winning each week in teh NFL. Not an issue you can teach or learn on your own at this stage of your career. Have Poles work on the new stadium stuff until his contract is up.
BDTX=Birth Defect in TeXass Sing along with us:
Put a little love in your heart
Each and every day…
If not, then you are a poor role model for David. I worry about that boy. Rooster contaminated him and you corrupted him. Only I can save him now from himself. And only we Lions could have saved the Bears this year. It would have been easy to do.
Hear us ROAR! Now let’s focus on the Packers’ game.
I want Poles’ head on a pole (metaphorically speaking of course)
I can understand why Poles thought his offensive line would be adequate for another year based on how they finished last season. They were quite adequate and so he didn’t spend too much money or draft choices to improve it then. However, it’s horribly inadequate now and the most needed part of the team to be improved.
Besides Poles took advantage of drafting the number one quarterback and good wide receivers but now the teams game plans are predictable and ineffective because of Shane Waldron and a depleted offensive line.
The only thing more infuriating the Bears is having to read Sallie’s bullshit on this site every day!