Cubs News: Poles on offensive line: "This is the best depth I’ve ever had" |
CHICAGO—Following roster cuts, general manager Ryan Poles spoke to the media Wednesday to discuss Chicago's initial roster and his aspirations for the team, particularly going to the playoffs and winning Super Bowls.
“That’s my priority. Let’s get the roster in the best shape possible because that’s going to give us the opportunity to win games,” Poles said. “But, it’s always going to be to win championships, to win the division, to win Super Bowls. That’s always the goal. Obviously, getting in the playoffs and winning playoff games would be outstanding. But, I think the biggest thing is can we take that big jump from where we were last year to this year and I think we’re capable of doing that.” When Poles became the general manager for Chicago before the 2022 season, he came into a team that needed a complete rebuild and that was reflected in the Bears’ 3-14 record his first season. While that season was terrible, the trade Poles facilitated, sending the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers, has more than paid off by giving Chicago receiver DJ Moore and a variety of draft picks that have been used on other important players including rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. That 360 turnaround from 2022 to now is part of what made roster cuts so difficult - Chicago has depth and players wanted to stay with the Bears. “I’m proud of the process that we’ve set up. It’s not just about acquiring the best talent. It’s about acquiring the right talent and I think that’s what you see in this building. It’s special. The group of guys, it’s really special,” Poles said. “Even when you’re going through cut-down days and you’re letting guys go and they’re like, ‘Man, I just want to be here. I can feel it. I want to be a part of this thing.’ So, I always look at it and I’m excited about it, but when you hear from people inside the building, but also outside, it kind of makes you feel really good about the progress that you’ve made. But, a lot of hard work, a lot of time in developing the process of that it’s sustainable.” Drafting Williams is going to define Poles’ career as a general manager, similar to how drafting Justin Fields defined former general manager Ryan Pace and former head coach Matt Nagy. Their inability to develop Fields is what led Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus to come to Chicago. While Fields’ collegiate talent did not quite translate to the NFL, Williams is already showing signs of his skills translating to the league. Poles is especially excited about that happening before Williams begins his first NFL regular-season game. “Anytime you draft a player because of what you saw from college and you see some of those things transfer over to the pro game, that gets you excited,” Poles said. “If it’s the other way, it scares the crap out of you. It’s like, ‘Where did that guy go?’ and we haven’t had that with really any of our draft picks. Everybody has been as advertised, if not better.” Protecting the quarterback is essential, and it never quite happened when Fields was with Chicago. That is completely different from the 53-man roster the Bears have now, with 10 offensive linemen making it. Furthermore, Poles said the Bears have an incredible amount of depth along the line. “This is the best depth I’ve ever had. Actually, let one of the guys go on cutdowns and was like, ‘Man, you did an excellent job. I wish we could keep you here.’ He’s like, ‘This is the deepest room I’ve ever been a part of,’” Poles said. “So, we have more versatility, more depth. We got 10 guys. So, I feel comfortable. Obviously, you want your starting five to be healthy, ready to go. But I feel more confident in the depth of our o-line than I ever have before.” Williams and the offensive line will be put to the test in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sun. Sept 8 (Noon / FOX).
