Sounds Like The Bears Are Going To Be Active Again On Trade Deadline Day
Ryan Poles, still employed, and all indications are that he is still empowered. Moving and shaking, guys coming and going. It's deadline day, the Bears are dead, but Poles is still trying to fix the problem and improve the roster.
Jaylon wants out. He hinted at that last week. It appears that a contract for another homegrown talent can't get done. We saw this play out last year with Roquan who has turned into the best linebacker in the NFL with the Ravens and Poles backfilled that position with Edwards and Edmunds who have been underwhelming to say the least. $95M in cap space, but nothing for Ro or Jaylon. Poles has drafted heavily in the secondary, but Gordon and Stevenson don't look like the level of player that Johnson is. If this was a year ago I'd give Poles the benefit of the doubt, but since you can argue that he hasn't been on the right side of many decisions since being hired that grace period is gone.
Which is why it's so surprising that he is looking to add at the deadline as well. Who could be available? His management of the defensive line has been atrocious. It needs to be fixed, but who could he possibly add that helps the team beyond this year? Everything has to be about the future. So is this an indication that Poles is still the guy for the future? I think Kevin Warren, who didn't hire the GM or the Coach, would be justified in cleaning house, starting over, and controlling the football hiring. And if you're out on Poles why would you allow him to make a Halloween trade where he'd likely have to give up future assets? We saw how he did at the deadline last year. He essentially traded Roquan for Chase Claypool and moved down 20 or spots in the 2nd round to facilitate that trade. That is an abomination in hindsight and it wasn't great when you frame it that way in real time. If I am Warren I am pressing pause on everything. If he wants to trade an expiring contract like Johnson, well, I guess that is fine. Giving up assets...no thank you.
The Bears are a mess. It feels like they are a long time and many steps away from being competent again. I don't know what Poles is doing. It feels like every key decision he makes ends up with the team being less talented. The NFL is won with QBs, DBs, and in the trenches. With the exception of Darnell Wright, every position group he touches gets downgraded. Walking away from Johnson at 24 years old when you have a gazillion dollars in cap space feels like another Roquan special. I think Warren needs to just call Jim Harbaugh and hide Poles' phone.