Winning football games is something the Chicago Bears still need to do. They haven’t gotten over the hump yet. However, nobody can dispute GM Ryan Poles has done a terrific job rebuilding the roster of the past three off-seasons. He put together another top 10-capable defense, a young and ascending offensive line, and maybe the most talented wide receiver room the organization has ever had with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze. On top of all that, he secured one of the best quarterback prospects in recent memory with Caleb Williams.
Everything about Poles suggests he is intelligent and has a keen understanding of how the NFL functions. Every move makes sense. He operates according to a plan. It has gotten to such a point where some believe that even his biggest mistakes were intentional. Dan Katz, better known as Barstool Big Cat, is a diehard Chicago sports fan. He spoke with Waddle & Silvy about the work Poles has done. It’s been so impressive that he has a conspiracy theory he now believes.
The Chase Claypool trade back in 2022, the GM’s lowest moment, was nothing more than an elaborate way to fool other teams into thinking they could take advantage of him in future trade talks.
Think about it. The Claypool trade was a disaster. Yet months after it happened, Poles managed to swing blockbuster deals with Carolina and Washington that landed the Bears Moore, Montez Sweat, Williams, Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, and a future 2nd round pick in 2025. Those two trades have a chance to catapult this organization into the NFC title picture. Would those two teams have been as willing to deal with Poles if he hadn’t clearly misfired on Claypool? Nobody can say for sure.
Big Cat has a point. Maybe Ryan Poles always knew what he was doing. The best-laid traps take a long time to unfold. Jokes aside, it is more likely the Bears GM made a mistake and learned some valuable lessons from it. Most importantly, he didn’t let it affect his decisions to be aggressive when the time was right. The only thing left to do is see how his latest work pans out. Chicago is in a great spot. They have talent everywhere. If their young quarterback can play well, this team can make the playoffs.
