Did the Chicago Bears let the Pittsburgh Steelers get the better of them again?

For the majority of Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles career, he has been tied to the Pittsburgh Steelers, for better, and usually worse so far. It was a strong connection during his first year as General Manager, and there will be another tie that has the teams connected from the 2023 NFL draft.

Did the Chicago Bears let the Pittsburgh Steelers get the better of them again?

During the first draft that Ryan Poles participated in, he took Kyler Gordon, a cornerback from Washington. The pick was met with disappointment, mainly because so many fans already talked themselves into George Pickens being the man for the Chicago Bears and Justin Fields.

When Pickens wound up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, you knew it was going to look bad. The Steelers have years and years of drafting talented wideouts under their belt, and they spotted one when the Chicago Bears did not.

Who knew the ripple effects would haunt Ryan Poles. His team lacked any wide receiver talent early in the year. Meanwhile, the Steelers had an ascending Pickens that made Chase Claypool expendable. The combination of factors had the Steelers hustle a pick that turned out to lead off the second round for Claypool. The pick ended up being a consensus first-rounder in Joey Porter Jr.

It stings even more than Claypool, and Gordon have been struggling, while Pickens is thriving, and Porter is now on the other side. If you could have George Pickens and Joey Porter, or Claypool and Gordon who would you want?

Now, the teams are connected again. The Chicago Bears were projected to be debating between Paris Johnson and Broderick Jones but went with Darnell Wright.

The reasons make plenty of sense, but it does not make Chicago Bears fans feel good that Broderick Jones ended up seeing the Steelers trade up to draft him.

The Chicago Bears needed a right tackle, and the Steelers needed someone on the left side. Broderick Jones is a better run blocker, but Wright is better in pass protection, Wright has the experience, and Jones has the potential. The two will be linked for a long time.

This is another chapter to the debate on team building. It makes it extra interesting because Steelers' new GM Omar Khan interviewed in Chicago. So, now we ask, Jones, Porter, and Pickens, or Wright, Gordon, and Claypool?