3 reasons Chicago Bears passing on Jalen Carter makes sense

2. Character concerns are real for Ryan Poles and Chicago Bears

Yes, this is obviously going to be discussed when it comes to Jalen Carter. Fair or not, this is much more of the reason the Bears went with the offensive tackle, even if they could find a three-technique on day two. The fact is that if they had Jalen Carter as their top player, they would have taken him. The fourth-round pick was not enough to change that.

There were reports that the Bears did have him as their number one player, and they were looking into him when they had the number one overall pick. Obviously, things changed. His legal troubles are well known, but there appears to be more beneath the surface as well.

There are questions about how much he loves football, and whether he is just playing for the check, and once he gets a little money he may check out. That is not what the Chicago Bears want. The Philadelphia Eagles may get away with this without an issue, but they have a locker room that is perfect for Carter.

They have Jordan Davis, an old teammate, and they have Fletcher Cox a long-timer in the NFL who has played the leadership role and can take Carter under his wing. The Chicago Bears do not have these guys, yet. Maybe there is a time when a prized offensive lineman comes in and the Bears can say that the character of Darnell Wright is why they can take the risk. It takes time to build that culture, and the Chicago Bears are not there yet.

With that in mind, you can trust the Eagles taking Carter, while also understanding why the Chicago Bears passed on Carter.