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.
