The Chicago Bears have seen a quarterback controversy for the ages over the last few months. The Justin Fields vs Caleb Williams debate was the heart of discussion throughout the offseason. General manager Ryan Poles had to make a decision that would change the fate of the Bears and his fate with the team.
Ultimately Poles decided it was time to move on from Justin Fields and reset the quarterback clock. This move has a lot of implications for the future of Ryan Poles and his staff. A decision here that if it doesn't pan out, will spell the end for Poles and the rest of his staff.
It is no secret that Fields was loved by this front office, his teammates, and the fans. This probably made the decision to move on from him a very difficult one for the Bears front office. However, by moving on from Fields it likely bought Poles and company a few years to show this rebuild was worth it.
Moving on from Justin Fields may have bought Ryan Poles more time as the Bears general manager.
If the Bears traded the number one pick and stayed with Justin Fields, it may have worked out well and Poles would have been a hero. However, if the move backfired and Fields struggled to continue his development while Williams had a C.J. Stroud-like rookie season, it would have been the end for Poles as the general manager of the Bears.
By trading Fields and drafting a quarterback, Poles gives himself at least two years of job security while everyone waits to see if the rookie can develop into a franchise quarterback. Ultimately, first-year struggles happen for quarterbacks and giving them time to figure it out is important in their development. As long as ownership doesn't give up on the rookie quarterback, it seems they won't give up on Poles either.