Ryan Poles Drops Unprompted Bombshell On Bears’ Pass Rush Search
GM Ryan Poles has certain qualities you can’t help but love as a Chicago Bears fan. One of the most apparent is his willingness to be a more public figure and answer questions with surprising candidness. He openly stated the Bears were looking to trade down from #1 overall two months ago. Ryan Pace never would’ve dared risk such an open secret getting out. Poles doesn’t worry about such things. He knows when it’s time to keep his comments carefully vague. At the same time, he is proving to be the most accessible GM the Bears have ever had.
That was on display again during an interview with Bernstein & Holmes for 670 The Score. Poles was asked about the state of the team’s pass rush. It’s well-known the Bears weren’t able to make any significant addition on the edges outside of DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Greene. Nobody would mistake them for sack specialists. It is why many wonder if Poles has another move in mind. Not only did he practically confirm this was the case, but he added an exciting wrinkle without even being prompted.
Ryan Poles exploring the trade market shouldn’t be surprising.
Few teams are better positioned to take such a swing than the Bears. They have six picks in the first four rounds of next year’s NFL draft and still carry the most salary cap space in the league. If an effective option is available, they can take the swing without mortgaging the future. It comes down to who may or may not be possible to get.
There are certain names that trade rumors have surrounded in recent months. Former #2 overall pick Chase Young is one of them. With an unfortunate injury setback that slowed his progress and other defensive linemates getting expensive new deals, there is a belief Washington will look to unload him. Danielle Hunter is another. He wants a new contract but Minnesota seems reluctant to give him one. It seems farfetched, but the Vikings have already shown they don’t mind trading inside the division.
Some other options include guys like Carl Lawson in New York and Josh Allen in Jacksonville. Maybe even Kwity Paye in Indianapolis since he was initially drafted to play in Matt Eberflus’ defense. It depends on which team is the most open to making a deal and the price Ryan Poles would have to pay.