Ryan Poles told it like it is when responding to Bears evaluation question

Though the Bears may have faced defeat at the hands of Matt Stafford and the Rams, what Ryan Poles managed to establish this year is shaping up to be an era of Bears football that fans have been craving for a generation. An end of the year presser without the Lombardi trophy in the room is always a gloomy event, but this time it felt different.

Poles explicitly mentions the last three games and how they matter more than all the rest. He's absolutely correct, of course, but his acknowledgement signals accountability and urgency within the organization.

Many teams struggle to face internal failures during the offseason, and that's how poor team trends are born. But this year, as a Bears fan, felt different, and so did the feeling moving into the offseason. There was a wisp of positivity in the air, something greatly needed for several seasons.

Accountability Shapes the Offseason

“Look at the roster. As Coach (Ben Johnson) said, there's some challenges and some big decisions we got to make," Poles said. "The more success you have, the more challenges and hard decisions you got to make. And those will be critical for us to sustain it.”

As many key players move into free agency, the Bears are also projected to rest about $4 million over the salary cap. Still, many teams head into the offseason over the cap, and it's merely part of NFL money management strategies. But with key players such as defensive veteran Kevin Byard departing for the open market, the Bears will be hard-pressed to spend cash on free agent signings.

Despite the tight reality of cap space, the Bears' significant injuries are already well underway in their recovery. Poles has worked his magic during previous offseasons, and his performance in the draft has been extremely competent so far. Kyle Monangai and Colston Loveland are proof enough of that.

End-of-season press conferences are rarely remembered, but this one felt like a clear checkpoint rather than a formality. The Bears enter the offseason facing real constraints and decisions. But for once, there is a sense that those choices are being made with clarity rather than desperation.