Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles Making Moves, But Can He Build a Contender? 🤔

Here’s the Quick -n- Dirrty…

• GM Ryan Poles made some moves – added DE Montrez Sweat and extended DT Nate Billingsley. Shows he’s willing to pay to keep good players.
• Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s playcalling has been very questionable and predictable. He relies too much on ineffective screen passes when the team is behind.
• Injuries have hurt the Bears – several key players like Justin Fields, Eddie Jackson, etc have missed time recently. Need to get healthy.
• Poles backed head coach Matt Eberflus, but his 5-15 record over the past season and a half is concerning. Defense needs a better pass rush.
• Poles was noncommittal on the quarterback situation with Fields and Trevor Siemian. Hard to evaluate Fields with injuries, but offensive line play has been poor.

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Hey there, fellow Bears Fans!

The 2023 season has been another frustrating one for us Chicago Bears fans. As a lifelong fan who isn’t afraid to speak honestly about our team, I have to call it like I see it – GM Ryan Poles still has a lot of work to do to turn us into contenders again. That being said, he’s made some moves lately that show promise for the future.

Adding defensive end Montrez Sweat from Washington is a strong pickup that should bolster our pass rush, which has been one of the worst in the league. Poles also wisely extended run-stuffing defensive tackle Nate Billingsley on a budget-friendly 2-year, $8.5 million dollar deal. Keeping talent like Billingsley shows Poles is willing to pay to retain good players already on the roster. Building through the draft is crucial, but you also have to take care of the key guys you develop. Kudos to Poles for recognizing that.

While I’m encouraged by those defensive additions, our offense remains a huge problem. Questionable play calling from offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has really hampered quarterback Justin Fields’ development in my view. Getsy relies way too heavily on ineffective screen passes anytime we face a deficit. His overly conservative approach isn’t doing Fields or the rest of our offensive talent any favors. We need an aggressive passing attack to keep pace in today’s NFL, not constant screens and runs up the middle.

Injuries have also really derailed whatever momentum we’d start to build. Losing key starters like Fields, safety Eddie Jackson, cornerback Jaylon Johnson, and others for multiple games makes it impossible to properly evaluate the team. We need to get and stay healthy the rest of the way to see what we really have on this roster. I’m hopeful we can get back on track, but the injuries just keep piling up at the worst times.

While I try to be patient through rebuilds like this, I have to say head coach Matt Eberflus hasn’t inspired much confidence so far with his 5-15 record over the past season and a half. Poles publicly backed Eberflus, but the results speak for themselves. The defense especially needs major improvements – a better pass rush would help our secondary tremendously. There are no easy fixes, but the coaches have to put players in better positions to succeed. If Eberflus can’t turn things around quickly, his seat will get hot in a hurry.

Lastly, I’m concerned by Poles’ noncommittal stance on our quarterback situation. It’s tough to properly evaluate Fields with all the missed time lately, but it’s also on Poles and the front office to build an offensive line capable of protecting him. The right side improvements are a start, but we desperately need upgrades at left tackle and center to give Fields a fair chance. If we pass on quality linemen again in the draft and free agency, I’ll seriously question if Poles believes Fields is the long-term answer. Actions speak louder than words when it comes to the QB.

In closing, I’ll continue to support the Bears through thick and thin as a diehard, but that also means I’ll continue to honestly critique the areas that need improvement. This rebuild requires patience, but that patience isn’t infinite. To get back to contending status, Poles and Eberflus need to show substantial growth next season. As a passionate fanbase, we deserve a winner after so much mediocrity post-1985. I’m eager to see what moves Poles makes this offseason to put more talent around Fields. If he nails it, the Bears could take major strides in 2023. But more missteps next year and the pressure will really mount. As always, I’m cautiously hopeful but ready to keep it real if need be.

Bear Down Bears fans! and as always… PEACE!