Ryan Poles is putting his stamp on the Chicago Bears this offseason

Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles may be relatively new to the gig, but you wouldn’t know that by watching him work. Since he arrived in 2022, he has operated with a precise and disciplined approach to running one of the charter franchises in the NFL: Build through the draft.

The 2022 offseason was about reconstructing the roster to free up old expensive veterans and replenish the team with sorely needed draft capital. Last offseason, he turned six draft picks into 11. As he looked ahead to 2023, he stayed true to his approach by drafting 10 players. That is 21 new players in the last two years added through the draft alone.

In addition to the 2023 NFL draft class, Poles has been fairly active by signing future cornerstone pieces in free agency, and let’s not forget the blockbuster trade for WR DJ Moore.

For a team coming off a 3-14 season, optimism is high at Halas Hall, and it’s mainly due to Poles’ efforts.

Here are my favorite and least favorite moves he’s made this offseason and a grade for his work so far.

Favorite Offseason Move

This one is easy. Poles flipped the No. 1 pick for a true WR1 in DJ Moore, a starting right tackle in Darnell Wright, and a young, promising corner in Tyrique Stevenson (via trade).

Additionally, he received Carolina’s first-round pick in 2024 and Philadelphia’s fourth-rounder in what is expected to be a loaded 2024 draft class. He added the Panthers’ 2025 second-round pick, too.

Acquiring Moore and Wright allows other players on the roster to slide back into more impactful roles. Trading the first pick not only made the Bears much better now, but it set them up for a strong 2024 offseason too.

Least Favorite Offseason Move

It is easy to criticize Poles for not addressing the EDGE position, but I believe he has a plan here. With so many veterans still available and more who could become June 1st cuts, he should be able to find serviceable stop gaps.

The secondary could also use some depth. With Kyler Gordon expected to move full-time to the starting Nickel position and Jaylon Johnson penciled in as CB1, that leaves Stevenson, fellow rookie Terell Smith and Kindle Vildor competing for the CB2 spot.

Due to the uncertainty of Johnson (contract dispute), it would have been nice to add a veteran to help an otherwise young and inexperienced group.

Final Grade

I think Ryan Poles earns a B+ for this offseason.

Poles upgraded every major position group except EDGE and acquired additional draft capital for promising 2024 and 2025 draft classes. It’s apparent he truly believes in the ceiling of Justin Fields by making him a priority this offseason.

If Fields does struggle, they are in an excellent position to reset, with several top quarterback prospects expected to come out next year. He is gambling a bit by relying on the young defensive talent to step in and contribute right away along the defensive line and in the secondary.

If the Bears again fail to generate a pass rush and get exposed on the back end, Poles will deserve criticism for failing to address it. However, if these young players show they belong and Fields takes the expected leap, the Bears can surprise some people.