Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has not been afraid of making moves at the NFL Trade Deadline.
Since becoming the leading man in the Bears' front office, Poles' in-season activity has been defined at the trade deadline. In his first season with the Bears, Poles moved veterans Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn in the days leading up to the deadline in 2022 while also using a second-round pick to bring in wide receiver Chase Claypool. The addition of Claypool, albeit a failure, was done as a way for the team to get started on their offseason shopping for the 2023 season. During the 2023 season, Poles used that same blueprint in trading a second-round draft pick for Montez Sweat.
Given that flurry of activity, many fans are expecting Poles to be just as active in his third run-in with the deadline as the Bears' general manager. That expectation is heightened given that the Bears are 4-2 on the season and in a spot to be a potential playoff team in the NFC.
That expectation may not match reality. In making his prediction for what the Bears will do at the deadline this season, Adam Jahns of The Athletic (Subscription Required) predicted that it would be a quiet day for the team.
Standing pat feels right, though. The Bears open the 2025 draft with a first-round pick and two in the second. It’s best to keep those picks for real investment in their trenches on both sides of the ball. — Adam Jahns
For as aggressive as fans may believe Poles is, this season, he has proved to be more calculated. The storyline for Poles this season, so far, has been the trades that he hasn't completed. Given the lack of an assurance of a new contract, Poles and the Bears backed out of trade talks for Matthew Judon during the preseason. The Bears have also rejected previous trade offers for Khalil Herbert and Velus Jones Jr.
Given the caution, it stands to reason that Poles will not be as active as fans are hoping at the trade deadline. That feels like the right move as despite the Bears' success this season, they may be a season early in terms of being legitimate contenders in the NFC. Given that fact, the idea of the Bears moving draft capital in a blockbuster trade this season doesn't align with what Poles has done so far this season.