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 whole offense, whereas Caleb Williams was sacked seven instances.
For all of the hand-wringing and consternation, the one man most chargeable for the Bears’ points has been comparatively immune from criticism up thus far. Normal 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 doable. From unhealthy teaching hires, misallocation of free agent cash, and questionable drafting — the one factor Poles actually has to his credit score is a deft skill 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 isn’t 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 help Williams earlier than the strain will get to be an excessive amount of. That features each the load of expectation on the No. 1 choose to show the staff round, and the bodily strain of enjoying on a staff that’s allowed 56 sacks this season and counting.
Chicago’s offensive line is so unhealthy 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 growth Texans in 2002.
The offensive line is the place Ryan Poles deserves essentially the most criticism
Probably the most weird eccentricity of Poles’ time in Chicago is his gorgeous lack of ability to seek 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 skill to scout expertise both by the draft, or in free company.
That is the Bears’ major 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 had 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 whilst you’re hurling into the bathroom of a truck cease, however the level stays.
What makes this harm essentially the most is simply how unhealthy 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 sport. What has sadly lived up is his struggles as a go protector, the place he lacks the required 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 “advantageous,” whereas taking WR Rome Odunze with the No. 9 choose. Odunze is a implausible expertise, and his rapport with Caleb is clearly there — however it was a luxurious choose with D.J. Moore on the roster contemplating the dire wants on the OL.
In truth, since Poles turned the Bears GM the offensive line has been their weakest component, and but he’s blown it. All-in-all he’s spent a 1st, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh spherical choose on the OL in three years — with each single participant starting from unhealthy to horrible.
Misjudging the RB state of affairs
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 go away in 2022 and change him out for D’Andre Swift.
Montgomery has gone on to be a crucial 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.
A scarcity of offensive line paired with unhealthy RB analysis has been a large downside for the offense. These are components that ought to take strain off Williams, however as an alternative add to it.
Teaching selections
Ryan Poles’ massive teaching splash was hiring Matt Eberflus, and he was atrocious. We don’t must spend far more time on that. Everybody is aware of how unhealthy Flus was. The Bears ought to have fired him coming into this 12 months to provide Williams a contemporary begin with a brand new regime, however as an alternative Chicago once more held onto a foul coach one 12 months 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 guilty for Bryce Younger’s struggles.
They paired this with Eric Washington, who got here by the Payments from the Panthers as properly. A former defensive position coach, Washington got here from Carolina as properly — and has by no means actually shined with out stellar defensive expertise to educate.
This can be 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 choose within the 2nd spherical in 2023 in an effort to get WR Chase Claypool, who was demonstrably horrible.
Expertise analysis at nearly each degree has been horrible underneath Poles. Caleb Williams is excellent, as is Rome Odunze — however each these guys had been going to be strong to anybody who watched soccer. The late-round expertise, the place actual scouts make a residing, that’s the place the Bears have been unhealthy, and their lack of depth exhibits that.
Firing Ryan Poles can be a step in the fitting route for the Bears. Now we wait to see in the event that they notice that.
