4 takeaways from Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles’ end-of-year press conference

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles met with the media this week for his first end-of-season press conference on the job, and he offered an honest assessment of the team’s performance, one that ended with only three wins and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Poles addressed several key issues the Bears must resolve in the offseason and did his part to put an end to the speculation that Justin Fields will be replaced by Alabama’s Bryce Young with the first pick.

Here are four key takeaways from Ryan Poles’ press conference.

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Justin Fields is here to say

It’s incredible that we’re even having this conversation. Talking heads like former NFL GM Ryan Tannenbaum jumpstarted the suggestion that Poles should think long and hard about trading Fields and taking Young with the No. 1 pick. It was laughable at the time Tannenbaum said it, and became even more outrageous after Poles briefly touched on the subject.

Poles said he’d have to be blown away by a quarterback prospect in the 2023 NFL draft to consider moving on from Fields.

“I thought Justin did a good job,” he said. “I thought we changed a lot, we adapted, we tried to put him in a position to be successful, he showed the ability to be a playmaker. Be impactful. He can change games quickly. Does he have room to grow? He does. He has to get better as a passer, and I’m excited to see him take those steps as we move forward.”

All signs point toward Fields being exactly who he should be for the Chicago Bears: the centerpiece of the franchise.

“We’re excited about his development and where he goes next,” Poles said. “He showed ability to be impactful with his legs. There’s flashes with his arm. Now if we can put that together, I think we have something really good.”

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Chase Claypool will get his chance to be Bears” WR1 in 2023

Ryan Poles has no regrets for his trade-deadline move to acquire Chase Claypool. Sure, the second-round pick he sent to the Pittsburgh Steelers unexpectedly turned into No. 32 overall, but Poles’ confidence in Claypool remains.

“It was a little bit choppy of a start,” Poles said. “I told Chase, and we had a really good conversation, I’m not blinking at that one at all. I think he’s gonna help us moving forward and I’m excited about it.”

The Bears have the resources needed to add more talent to the wide receiver room, but an underwhelming free-agent class and a 2023 draft pool that doesn’t include a wideout graded highly enough to warrant Chicago’s consideration in Round 1 has Claypool’s path to becoming the passing game’s alpha clear.

“Do I believe in that talent and what he can bring to this team? Yeah, I do,” Poles said.

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There’s still a chance for David Montgomery to be a Bear

Poles spoke glowingly of running back David Montgomery, who most assumed played his final game with the Chicago Bears in Week 18. The soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, Montgomery will seek a pay raise on the open market, one the Bears may not be willing to pay because of Khalil Herbert’s breakout season and likely role as the starter in 2023.

But Montgomery’s approach to the game and value inside Halas Hall could be enough to persuade Poles to open the checkbook for him, even if it’s for just a slight bump in cash.

“I’ve always wanted to keep David,” Poles said. “I love his mentality, how he plays the game. I told him that to his face. He’s part of the identity that we had this year that kept us competitive.”

Montgomery may have a hard time finding a suitor outside Chicago this offseason. He’ll compete with Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard, Josh Jacobs, and Miles Sanders in the free-agent running back class.

If Montgomery’s market runs dry, he’ll be back with the Bears.

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The Chicago Bears grew as a team in 2022

It’s hard to find a silver lining in a 3-14 season. The No. 1 overall pick is nice, but what good is it if the culture and attitude inside the team facility isn’t right?

Poles feels confident the Bears are moving in the right direction, even in the wake of a historically bad year.

“Toughness. That stood out to me,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many coaches from the teams that we played called the next morning, or GMs and said, ‘You can feel your guys on tape. You can feel that the way that they play, they played the right way. Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re on the right path.’”

Justin Fields was a big part of that toughness. So was David Montgomery. And Jack Sanborn. The list of tough Bears is a long one, and it starts with coach Matt Eberflus. His messaging resonated in the locker room and continued for 18 weeks.

Now, with an offseason overflowing with optimism and assets, the Chicago Bears have a chance to add more talent to that “toughness,” and wins will follow.

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