Chicago Bears

I’ll even defend the Claypool trade to some extent because the logic made sense, he just picked the wrong player. For me, the big knock against Poles is hiring Eberflus.

If he fires Flus, I’m even more on his side than I already was

I had faith in Poles. It's fading with each passing week that Flus/Getsy remain.

I like the squad. Hate the coaching regime.

Roquan for Trumane. I think quan is a better overall player.

He selected eberflus as coach.

He didn’t prioritize the offense at all last year. We had the worst WRs in the league and a below average offensive line. That’s not how you support your second-year QB.

As an outside observer (eagles fan), I think Poles has made mistakes initially but has adjusted well. He’s building from the trenches first, instead of investing high resources in receivers or safeties like he was initially.

All of these will be moot if he can’t solve QB long term, IMO I think Fields could be the next Jalen Hurts with the right type of weapons around him but it’s reasonable to move on to Caleb Williams to reset the rookie qb clock

In my opinion, he’s done well enough where he should be able to see the situation he created through. I mean “situation he created” in good way. The Bears have never been so simultaneously loaded with money and draft capital. Not that i can remember, anyway.

Flus seems like a miss though. But if Pace can have two cracks at a HC, so can Poles.

I think poles is killing it but we gotta take advantage of this draft, like he did last time, except this time I think we do take the QB.

Those are his only two big whiffs imo. No one bats a thousand, think he’s done a great job, especially when you realize how bad the team was cap wise when he got hired

Traded Roquan because ILB isn’t where we should be spending our money with all the DL help we needed…then proceeded to spend all his free agency money on linebackers?

Not drafting an interior offensive lineman last year was a bit questionable

Venus pick gets overblown IMO. A 3rd round pick busting happens to every GM. Think it looks worse considering his age/lack of true receiving ability but taking a punt on a Cordarelle Patterson type player isn't the dumbest thing ever. The 49ers, albeit towards the end of the 3rd round, have a wide receiver with one career catch in the NFL

I will always be a “Pickens should have been one of those second round pick” people. They wouldn’t have needed to drafted Velus or trade for Claypool.

We’d have had another 2nd to then use on say Porter Jr., who is better than Gordon. We could have used the Velus pick on any of the several decent OL men that were picked after him.

Moore, Pickens, Mooney would be great. Moore, Pickens, and potentially Harrison Jr would be insane.

He’s done well but he has lots of work to do.

I like Poles, but I'm still wondering why he hasn't tried to acquire a legit Center, and was disappointed that he whiffed on a few in last year's draft. I also don't think he gets enough credit for spotting Terrell Smith so late in the draft.

When have the Bears ever fired a GM and we were like gosh darnit we should've kept that guy. It's never happened, the Bears always manage to fire their GM 2 or 3 years too late. Poles has done several good things but he has a ton of huge misses as well.

I want them to keep poles and fire the coaching staff. Let him do the coaching search from the beginning rather than giving him 3 options and asking him to pick his poison. If he can get Ben Johnson or Eric bienemy, or even a jackpot hire of harbaugh, then I think Poles should stick around for awhile

Brisker isn’t that awesome. Both safeties have played like poop, this season. He will look like genius if the Panthers finish with the worst record.

2nd youngest roster in the league. Loads of draft capital, loads of cap space. An ascending defense that we all can see is improving.
Offensive line is improving, kmet locked up, legit #1 receiver.

If he can get us a QB. A couple more blue chip players we will be feeling pretty good.

He hired this coaching staff. And don’t give me some bs about “he was given 3 names from the coaching search” f that noise. He’s the gm. If he’s stupid enough to let someone else pick his coach or too meek to disagree, that’s bad.

He’s fucked up by not firing Flus at this point in the season lmaooo

Im still in on Poles but need to see a new HC next season for sure.

We gave away roquan smith for free. Then signed another lb for 2m less than he wanted. That’s a HUGE fuck up imo

Prioritizing defense over offense when we’re evaluating the best raw prospect we’ve had in decades… I won’t stop beating the drum of how underwhelming our tools have been until this year. And imho he could have done more year one.

I don’t remember Roquan wanting out as much as the bears not wanting to pay him what he felt he was owed so they moved him because the 2 sides could t come to any agreement. It wasn’t until after the trade Roquan has said he’s glad to be in Baltimore instead. Which can anyone blame him?

Trading Roquan and paying Edmunds still stings…it’s hard to argue that Edmunds is anywhere close to being the player Roquan is

My biggest problem with Poles was going into this season, the Bears decided to not upgrade the DL while running a system that requires pressure from the front 4. I know there were tons of holes to fill (that's what she said) but it's hard to evaluate the defense when lacking such a crucial piece. Overall, I'm good with the job he's done so far.

"Poles has done really good." Outside of 1st round picks / trades, he's yet to find a blue chip player. He should've drafted George Pickens but instead took 2 mid defensive players. His Free Agency in general has been pretty brutal. He's definitely getting better, but nothing he has done has been above average. If he lets JJ walk, he should be fired.

I'd much rather clean house, come in with a new GM and HC. Ride with Fields for 1 more year & take MHJ. That way we can ensure our OC is competent before we invest heavily in a rookie QB (also gives the new GM a full year to scout QBs and make THEIR pick). From there, we have the perfect scenario for a rookie qb: 2 Stud WRs, an emerging elite TE, an improving line (hopefully we improve further this year), etc. And we have the draft capital (a bonus 2nd) to trade up in the draft next year to snag the number 2 or 3 qb

Two decisions make or break a GM: Coach and QB.

He messed up on coach. QB decision is still up in the air.

Doesnt matter if you hit on mid round picks if you mess these up.

The Claypool trade as you mentioned was a disaster. The worst move that wasn't made, was not trading Fields, before/during the 2022 draft. It was obvious after last year that he wasn't the answer, and due to his elite athletic ability he could have returned a first rounder, and probably a 4th or 5th rounder also. After this year, his value may be as low as a 4th rounder ( anything is better than nothing). That was Poles worst non - move, but overall, he has done a good job. With a decent QB, the Bears can compete for a playoff spot next year.

The defense is much better than some people here seem to think. The offense is getting better also ( other than QB).

I have no qualms saying it, I love what Poles is doing. I expect fuck ups here and there. It's an insanely difficult job.

This next season will define what I hope to be a long career

They’re gonna keep Flus and fire Getsy

Whiffed on eval of CJ Stroud.

Flus maybe too, but not sure yet.

Useless Jones Jr - says it all.

Got fleeced on Claypool.

I'd also like to point out that outside of that they have to unbelievably good undrafted free agents in Jack Sanborn and tyson bagant. I don't think either one of them is necessarily a world beater but we're getting value out of them for dirt cheap comparatively and their good backups.

I know that's not the championship crown or anything for a GM but it is getting value . And that's sure as shit a plus in my book.

He also sacrificed a 3rd round compensatory pick to sign Pringle. Rather than find support for Fields in his first year here, he focused our draft capital on DBs. His only major attempted FA signing was also for defense. His choice of HC was a middling DC. This off-season he once again focused our FA resources on defense, and made zero attempt to address the gaping hole at C. He's a bad GM because he doesn't understand how to correctly prioritize resources in the modern NFL. You can't win by ignoring offense, and the craziest part is that despite this mismanagement we don't even have a half decent defense to show for it. And yet this sub seems hell bent on defending him, no matter how bad this team has continued to be under his watch.

-Brought on a horrific coaching staff.

-In 22 comoletely ignored the oline and gave Field nothing to work with harming his progression. (Also drafted two mid secondary players with his first two picks when our lines were barren)

-His defensive coordinator dissaprared mid season under murky circumstances. That's his hire.

-passed on stroud.

-still can't bring a center on, one of the most critical positions for a developing qb to boot

-waited two years to sign a competent defensive lineman. And had to trade a 2 to do so.

-Claypool trade.

-Edmunds has not provided value for his contract. Justin Jones was a disaster, Nate Davis has been a disaster, mind bogglingly signed Pringle losing a 3rd rounder, his lineman signings on both sides has been bad. I can go on. I hope they move on.

I mean, the dude had a supremely talented but raw QB in his second year and, rather than even try to build an offense for him and develop him, gave him a historically bad offense and figured it would work for some reason.

He gets credit for tanking for the first overall pick as if he didn’t fall ass backwards into that. The Chase Claypool trade isn’t loathed because the player ended up sucking, it happens. It sucked because it showed just how delusional Poles was with this roster that he thought the team would be better off trading their second round pick for a castaway wide receiver in the last year and a half of his contract. If a GM actually knows he’s getting the first overall pick, that move makes zero sense.

So despite being handed one this phenomenonally exciting QB prospect, he completely mishandled his development, wasted his critical development years, and now we’re supposed to laud him for a rebuild that only cost us the most exciting QB prospect of our lives.

I think if Poles drafted Fields he would never have gone into last season with that line/weapons. We had a sophomore qb holes everywhere and spent the little we had on defense. We can say that VJJ was a dart throw but then you gotta admit the plan for left tackle was a good amount of luck from turning out like the plan for center has.

I actually like Poles though, I think the team could be really trending well.

Hiring Flus without interviewing any other candidate is a fire-able offense on my book.

When these picks turn into wins as a team I’ll heap praise on Poles. As far as I am concerned he owns just as much of that team record.

The Carolina trade deal is also looking pretty good right now, but if Bryce Young goes on to be a superstar in the league and the Bears stay the Bears, then, yeah….

The argument from the negative set is that the “turnaround” you speak of has not occurred.

Yet.

But, as a non negative Nancy, who digs your post, it’s coming. I can feel it.

Don’t forget, Poles first draft had very little capital.

He is also an undrafted merchant. Dude finds gems in UNDFA market. He is very tactical. I have to say I Was nervous about the Sweat trade....but holy fuck this what pass rush looks like. It made me see how sacks aren't everything but pressures and forcing bad throws is critical...along with allowing your teammates on the like to shine and actually sack the QB.

I’m going to mention something I never see anyone talk about. People give Poles a pass on hiring Flus but also give him a pass on keeping Flus and Getsy which I think is one of his biggest mistakes.

Knowing that we had a struggling/developing young QB he kept around a defensive HC that does nothing to help Fields and an OC that we all knew was terrible last year. Yes he got DJ and Wright to help but a young QB needs competent coaching. Poles essentially doomed Fields this year which was a huge mistake as a GM.

He hired Flus, paid a average middle linebacker big bucks, did not address the offensive line enough over two years. A total neglect of the Center position. The Jones pick and the Claypool trade were so awful we can’t just over look them. He missed on his evaluation of CJ Stroud. That’s his job to see what we don’t see. He can totally redeem himself by acknowledging his mistake in the head coach and firing the whole staff. Drafting the next QB that will lead us to the Super Bowl. Finding a damn Center!! Pairing DJ with a good number 2 Receiver. Those are some things he can do.

Trading Roquan for Gervon.

I mean… he didn’t help Justin at all in 2022. That was not good for his development.

Counterpoint - He had a 100 million in cap space and the first draft pick and the team is trash. Also he recently made an in-season trade, in a lost season, giving up a 2nd round draft pick for a guy he could have signed as a free agent in offseason.