It is March 5, 2023. The Chicago Bears and all other 31 NFL teams have made their way to Indianapolis for another NFL Combine. Ryan Poles, Ian Cunningham, Matt Eberflus, and others are all in attendance to watch and talk to the upcoming NFL Draft class. Poles has more work to do as he also needs to speak with other general managers about potential trades. This could be regarding Justin Fields (isn't happening), the first-overall pick, and even players around the league. The key is to gain as much information without tipping your hand. It's like a chess match or a poker game.
It was announced earlier this week that Daron Payne is receiving the franchise tag from the Commanders. This was unfortunately expected. Payne would have likely been the top target for the Bears had he reached free agency. We saw Poles make a hard push for Larry Ogunjobi last offseason before his medicals came back and the team decided to move on. Eberflus has also made it clear just how important the 3-technique is for his defense. The Bears need to find a way to upgrade the position and also add pass rushers on the edge.
The defensive line isn't the only issue though. On the opposite side of the ball, the offensive line needs work too. Not to mention the wide receiver group. To be honest, there are not many positions on the roster that don't need an upgrade or massive overhaul.
This week was supposed to help Ryan Poles when it comes to trading that top pick, but an arrest of Jalen Carter for two misdemeanor charges relating to a car accident that took the lives of a UGA recruiting staffer and a teammate of Carter's. The recruiting staffer, Chandler LeCroy was the driver and heavily intoxicated. The reports are that LeCroy and Jalen Carter were drag racing.
This isn't the first time that Carter has had reckless speeding issues though. Some red flags have been noted prior to the arrest and you'd have to think that a few teams, if not many, are moving Carter down their board - if not removing him completely. It is a little too soon to tell, but the reports of Carter's involvement are likely going to impact what the Bears do at the top of the draft. More on that later. For now, let's look at what Ryan Poles and this team need to do in free agency seeing it starts in 12 days.