The Chicago Bears started 0-2 and now are 3-16 since Ryan Poles has inherited them. The first year was excused as he reset the roster, but this is what he put together after two offseasons and two drafts. There are reasons to buy into a long-term plan and wait for him to execute. There are also enough concerns to make you wonder if Ryan Poles has this ship on the right track or not.
3. Ryan Poles prioritized the wrong positions for the Chicago Bears
One of the huge questions with Ryan Poles is why he has been prioritizing the wrong positions. Poles is a former lineman, and the thought was that he would build up the trenches. The defense has been built backward. The Chicago Bears' first two draft picks were Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker.
Their talent aside, it is tough to build around a slot cornerback and a box safety. With his big money in free agency, the big spending was on Tremaine Edmunds. A linebacker is great, but he needs a strong defensive line. When the high draft picks are on the secondary, it seems like a lot of players who are not on the football with all of the capital Poles had.
Poles also paid TJ Edwards, who has been a disappointment for two weeks probably because he is not playing behind the Eagles' defensive line this year.
What is so funny about paying Edmunds and Edwards is that Poles also added Jack Sanborn as a UDFA, and he drafted Noah Sewell in round five. When you consider the head coach was a former linebacker's coach, maybe he could work with less investment in this unit to have talent in the areas he did not coach specifically.
These two would have been perfectly fine as the starting duo; they would have cost nothing, and the team would have had $20M or more to spend on the defensive line.
Instead, the Bears have quality backups to highly paid starters, and they signed their best pass rusher after training camp started. He is building the team backward, which is concerning.
2. Ryan Poles has issues with evaluating wide receiver talent
D.J. Moore is very good, and he will end up being a hit for the Chicago Bears, regardless of his quarterback. All that Ryan Poles had to do was earn the number one pick to get him. Poles has not been able to find receiver talent otherwise.
The Chase Claypool trade continues to loom large. Now, the Chicago Bears are making Equanimeous St. Brown inactive despite running an offensive system where a blocking receiver is extremely valuable. Claypool had a penalty, and Khalil Herbert's screen was stopped because he could not block his man.
St. Brown was inactive in week one, as was Velus Jones. Jones showed nothing despite getting a helmet. It was obvious when he was on the field what would happen, and his first touch went for negative yards.
The Chicago Bears value Claypool and Jones over St. Brown because they invested an early second-round pick in Claypool and a third-round pick in Jones. The reality is that St. Brown is not good, but these two lack so much value that they make St. Brown look like a needed part of the offense.
Ryan Poles has thrown away draft picks at wide receiver. The things he thinks receivers need are not needed, and the players he thinks fit the offense only make things worse. This has to have Chicago Bears fans alarmed.
1. The Chicago Bears offensive line issues are on Ryan Poles
Ryan Poles was a former offensive lineman. The fact that his offensive line is still one of the worst in the NFL is stunning. You can point to Teven Jenkins' injury and say he did not have an eight-ball to see that one coming. The same can be said with Nate Davis and his issues.
However, he did move Jenkins from the right side to the left and has made Jenkins move positions every season. He signed Davis despite concerns and despite the fact that he played the same side as Jenkins.
Worse than that, he went into the season expecting Cody Whitehair to be the center, when every Chicago Bears fan who has watched Whitehair the past two seasons knew that was not a smart idea. He stuck with Lucas Patrick despite him showing nothing over a full season and now two games. Those two could have been cut to save the team money and give them a chance to upgrade the lines. They are uncontested starters.
Speaking of uncontested starters, it is insane that the Chicago Bears went into the season without any sort of competition for Braxton Jones. It is fine to name him the starter, but they should have added a veteran to back him up or push him, not Larry Borom. Or, they could have used the pick on Noah Sewell to add some offensive line depth.
The lack of resources invested is appalling. Left tackle and center were built cheap, while the guard spots were not exact fits. This coming from an offensive lineman is alarming.