The Chicago Bears might be on track for a much better 2025 season after hiring Ben Johnson as head coach, but Ryan Poles still needs to clear the roster of some of his ill-fated draft picks and those who were held in higher regard by the recently departed Matt Eberflus.
The Bears used two Top 100 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft picks on defensive tackles in Florida second-rounder Gervon Dexter and South Carolina third-rounder Zacch Pickens. While Dexter has since evolved into quite a productive starter, Pickens has fallen so far down the depth chart that he found himself on the roster bubble.
Chicago officially called time on Pickens' tenure with the Bears, releasing him in a move that seemed obvious to anyone who was watching him slide down the depth chart as the preseason toiled on. Poles has obviously hit on some picks, but missing on players like Pickens will continue to sting this front office.
Bears GM Ryan Poles admits mistake after Zacch Pickens cut
Pickens played in just nine games for the Bears last season, starting three. With just 19 tackles, one sack, and a pathetic 45.5 PFF grade, Pickens shows nothing that would suggest that he is going to be an above-average player in new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's very specific scheme.
Pickens was a strong run defender in college, but the reason he fell as far as he did was the concerns about his ability to develop a pass rush that is worth a damn at the professional level. As has been shown for two seasons, Pickens was unable to do that.
With the Bears moving into a win-now mindset in Caleb Williams' second season at the helm, Johnson and Allen likely didn't want to spend too much more time figuring out how to turn him into a high-end starter. He might need to link up with a patient team who will work with him.
Read more: Bears draft pick finally gets the axe in a move all fans saw coming
Pickens was another risky pick from Poles, and he seems to have gotten burned by it. Poles may need to learn from his mistakes and stop using premium picks on one-skill role players like Pickens.