The first season is over for the new Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles. So, now we will look into what types of decisions he made, and how they impacted the team during his first run. Like any GM, there will be successes and mistakes.
What are some of the best decisions that Ryan Poles has made?
Turning Khalil Mack into Jaquan Brisker
When Ryan Poles traded Khalil Mack, many fans were stunned. When the return was not a first-round pick, it started to turn into anger. However, this was a good decision for Poles.
The decision helped clear salary cap space in the future, it got the team much younger, and it may have been selling on an aging player at the right time. Mack saw his production drop in 2021, and while he was good in 2022, he is not the same dominant player.
The flip side to trading Mack is getting a second-round pick, and Poles nailed it. Now that the trade is Jaquan Brisker for Mack, it has to be viewed favorably for fans. Brisker hit a rookie wall to close his season, but Mack did nothing against a backup left tackle in Jacksonville.
The difference is less about the play and more about the salaries. Ryan Poles ate some bad money from Mack this season, but the next three years clearly present an advantage for the Chicago Bears.
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Next year, the team will be paying $26M less than the Chargers, and the year after it will be $25 less. Then, in 2025, the Chicago Bears have Jaquan Brisker signed for one more year while the Chargers have a serious decision to make regarding Mack.
When you consider the trajectory is pointing up in a play for Brikser, and down in play for Mack, this trade just gets more and more one-sided. Maybe during the first month or first 10 games of the season, the trade looked bad for Ryan Poles. However, from now on, this is an obvious when.