Ryan Poles sent a clear message last weekend when he attended four college games in three days. Those four games had one thing in common. Each featured a quarterback who has a chance to go in the 1st round next year. It shouldn’t be a surprise the Chicago Bears GM is doing this. While the team remains loyal to Justin Fields, they aren’t yet certain if he is the franchise guy they need to win a championship. He’s a fantastic athlete and an elite running threat. However, to win in this league, you must be able to pass at a high level. Fields isn’t there yet. This 2023 season will be a defining one in that regard.
Until Poles has the necessary evidence, he plans to prepare for the possibility of making a quarterback change next year. That means collecting data on every potential option. According to a source, the Bears have somebody attending the upcoming matchup between Illinois and Kansas on Saturday. The belief is he will be there to see the first start of the season for Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels. The 20-year-old was a revelation last season, throwing 18 touchdowns to only four interceptions in nine games while also rushing for seven more touchdowns.
He carried a Kansas team that had gone 2-10 the year before to a 6-7 record.
He’s athletic, with a strong enough arm to make almost any throw. His ability to find easy completions and protect the football was especially attractive. He also tended to bring his best against strong competition. Against 9-4 Duke, he threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns. In the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas, he threw five touchdowns and ran for another. Make no mistake. Daniels is not a finished product. He’s only thrown 499 career passes and shows the typical lack of comfort in the pocket you expect from somebody with so little experience.
Current projections have Daniels going somewhere in the middle rounds next spring. It will be interesting to see if his stock rises between now and then. The quarterback is only 6’0 tall. NFL teams tend to shy away from shorter QBs until they have elite tools. The next four months will help determine his trajectory. The Chicago Bears have already proven they can find value in overlooked quarterbacks. Tyson Bagent was a major revelation last month. Fans should keep Daniels’ name in mind.
