The Bears made the change at head coach, and so they’re nonetheless completely horrible. On Sunday the 49ers used Chicago as their stepping stone to get again on monitor after three straight losses, dominating all three phases of the sport en path to a 38-13 beatdown that noticed the Bears solely amass 162 internet yards of complete offense, whereas Caleb Williams was sacked seven instances.
For all of the hand-wringing and consternation, the one man most accountable for the Bears’ points has been comparatively immune from criticism up so far. Common supervisor Ryan Poles has seemingly been given the vote of confidence to maneuver ahead and lead the seek for a brand new head coach within the offseason, however in actuality he’s the architect that made Chicago’s atrocious file potential. From dangerous teaching hires, misallocation of free agent cash, and questionable drafting — the one factor Poles actually has to his credit score is a deft capability make trades, which has allowed him to coast whereas the Bears have posted a 14-33 file on his watch.
That is not a Caleb Williams downside
Let’s get this one out of the way in which first. For the myriad points the Bears have, Caleb Williams will not be one in every of them. There are unquestionably issues the Bears’ rookie quarterback must work on. He tends to sail deep passes greater than he must, and proper now he’s nonetheless getting a sense for the period of time he has within the pocket, together with what pressures he can truly escape from — however when he’s had time to throw, he’s appeared good.
The lingering query is whether or not Chicago can transfer rapidly sufficient to assist Williams earlier than the stress will get to be an excessive amount of. That features each the load of expectation on the No. 1 decide to show the workforce round, and the bodily stress of enjoying on a workforce that’s allowed 56 sacks this season and counting.
Chicago’s offensive line is so dangerous that Williams has an opportunity to turn into the single-season file holder as essentially the most sacked quarterback, on tempo to complete with 74. If he’s sacked 77 instances he would break David Carr’s file, set for the enlargement Texans in 2002.
The offensive line is the place Ryan Poles deserves essentially the most criticism
Essentially the most weird eccentricity of Poles’ time in Chicago is his beautiful incapacity to search out high quality offensive linemen. Being a former NFL offensive lineman it appeared this could be his space of power, and but he’s proven no capability to scout expertise both by means of the draft, or in free company.
That is the Bears’ main offensive line in 2024:
LT Braxton Jones: 24 pressures allowed, 3 sacks allowed
LG Teven Jenkins: 16 pressures allowed, 6 sacks allowed
C Coleman Shelton: 14 pressures allowed, 1 sack allowed
RG Matt Pryor: 16 pressures allowed, 5 sacks allowed
RT Darnell Wright: 21 pressures allowed, 5 sacks allowed
Jones, Jenkins and Wright have been all drafted by Poles. Shelton was signed in free company by Poles, as was Matt Pryor. Pryor has been their greatest participant on the offensive line. Granted, that’s like saying there’s a “higher” form of meals poisoning when you’re hurling into the bathroom of a truck cease, however the level stays.
What makes this harm essentially the most is simply how dangerous the whiff on Darnell Wright was. Taken within the 2023 draft after buying and selling down with the Carolina Panthers, Wright was pilled as a road-grading proper deal with — however he’s solely common within the run recreation. What has sadly lived up is his struggles as a cross protector, the place he lacks the mandatory athleticism to win on the place, particularly when paired with an cell quarterback like Caleb Williams.
This was solely exacerbated within the 2024 NFL Draft, when Poles seemingly thought of the offensive line “high-quality,” whereas taking WR Rome Odunze with the No. 9 decide. Odunze is a unbelievable expertise, and his rapport with Caleb is clearly there — nevertheless it was a luxurious decide with D.J. Moore on the roster contemplating the dire wants on the OL.
Actually, since Poles turned the Bears GM the offensive line has been their weakest aspect, and but he’s blown it. All-in-all he’s spent a 1st, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh spherical decide on the OL in three years — with each single participant starting from dangerous to horrible.
Misjudging the RB scenario
This one is a bit more tough to actually parse, as a result of working again effectiveness is usually linked on to how good an offensive line is. Nonetheless, Poles made the choice to let David Montgomery depart in 2022 and change him out for D’Andre Swift.
Montgomery has gone on to be a essential a part of the Lions offense and a 1,000 yard working again in a committee. In the meantime Swift value the Bears extra money, and has seven fewer touchdowns than Monty.
An absence of offensive line paired with dangerous RB analysis has been an enormous downside for the offense. These are components that ought to take stress off Williams, however as a substitute add to it.
Teaching selections
Ryan Poles’ large teaching splash was hiring Matt Eberflus, and he was atrocious. We don’t must spend way more time on that. Everybody is aware of how dangerous Flus was. The Bears ought to have fired him coming into this yr to present Williams a contemporary begin with a brand new regime, however as a substitute Chicago once more held onto a foul coach one yr too lengthy.
Nonetheless, what’s actually egregious is backfilling the remainder of the teaching employees from a weird teaching tree that started with the Carolina Panthers. Interim head coach Thomas Brown, who served as interim offensive coordinator earlier than that was a part of Frank Reich’s atrocious employees in Carolina that was largely in charge for Bryce Younger’s struggles.
They paired this with Eric Washington, who got here by means of the Payments from the Panthers as effectively. A former defensive position coach, Washington got here from Carolina as effectively — and has by no means actually shined with out stellar defensive expertise to teach.
It is a bizarre tree to construct from.
Ryan Poles shouldn’t be immune from criticism
With loads of blame to go round in Chicago, Poles is the architect of all of it. For as a lot because the commerce with Carolina is lauded, touchdown them Caleb Williams, D.J. Moore, and extra — he’s additionally traded away Khalil Mack and Roquan Smith, not getting their worth in return.
As well as he gave up with first decide within the 2nd spherical in 2023 as a way to get WR Chase Claypool, who was demonstrably horrible.
Expertise analysis at virtually each degree has been horrible underneath Poles. Caleb Williams is excellent, as is Rome Odunze — however each these guys have been going to be stable to anybody who watched soccer. The late-round expertise, the place actual scouts make a dwelling, that’s the place the Bears have been dangerous, and their lack of depth exhibits that.
Firing Ryan Poles can be a step in the proper route for the Bears. Now we wait to see in the event that they understand that.
