The Chicago Bears have made waves in recent years by “winning the offseason” with aggressive, splashy signings and trades orchestrated by General Manager Ryan Poles. And while those were some fun offseasons to follow, I do not expect this upcoming offseason to look anything like those from recent vintage. This isn’t to say the Bears won’t be busy or productive. It’s just that, when they are making moves, they figure to look different this time around.
In a wide-ranging discussion with Rich Eisen, Bears GM Ryan Poles laid out his vision for the offseason ahead and even shared an inkling regarding the team’s free agency plans. I have clipped some highlight quotes and have shared the full interview below. For now, enjoy what I feel are the most pertinent words from Chicago’s general manager:
How active will the Bears be in free agency? “We’ll be active. It will just be in a different space of free agency. We’ll have pretty strict guardrails on what we can and can’t do. And that dictates what the next move is. We’ll also be opportunistic in any trades with guys coming or going. So, if there’s anyone coming in that maybe has a bigger contract, then that will create another set of transactions that gotta happen to make sure that we’re in a good spot cap-wise.”MORE: Three Bears Are Reportedly Generating Trade Interest
This statement is a masterclass in leaving all avenues open. It doesn’t sound like Bears GM Ryan Poles plans on being active at the top of the market in free agency. However, he does leave the door open. That he mentions being an opportunist in trades feels pertinent, especially when you consider the elephant in the room that is Maxx Crosby’s potential availability. This isn’t to say that we should expect a big, splashy trade from the Bears. But it sounds like Poles is open for business — and in a variety of different ways.
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) On the team’s positional needs: “I think the clear one is our safety position. All four guys are up, and Kevin (Byard) is one of the leaders of our team. So he is a guy we’re interested in bringing back. From there, it’s a domino effect of what we can and cannot do. But we’ll start with our own and build up to free agency.”It sounds like the Kevin Byard III situation is the first domino that needs to fall when it comes to Chicago’s offseason plans. And it makes sense when you consider how valuable Byard was to the team’s success last season. Byard is coming off a season in which he earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. He led the league with seven interceptions and was Pro Football Focus’ 14th-highest-graded safety.
However, as Byard enters his age-33 season, it might be difficult to nail down a contract from a team that strikes a balance between rewarding a valued player and one that provides flexibility for the team to make additions elsewhere.
For what it’s worth, Byard has made it known that he wants to stick around. If the price is right, I can see those two sides agreeing to a deal before free agency opens its doors in March.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images What’s on the agenda during Combine week: “We’ve gotta interview the players, collect their information in terms of medical to help clear our draft board up. And then the next thing is financial. We’ve got some cap things we’ve gotta clear up to put ourselves in a position to build this team. We’re currently over, so we’ve got some big decisions that are always tough. Anytime you have success in a season, your relationships and your bonds get deeper. But the way this is set up, you have to make tough decisions. So we’ll have to do that over the next few weeks. And then build the team back up and fill some of the needs.”When it comes to what figures to be on the horizon for the Bears offseason, it feels like GM Ryan Poles still plans on being aggressive with moves. Then again, he will have to be in order to (1) be cap compliant before the start of the new league year and (2) rebuild the roster in a way that keeps the team competitive going into this season. Is it a tightrope act? Sure! But it is better to navigate making tough decisions on productive players that you have enjoyed having around than to make easy cuts of players who aren’t fits.
On Ben Johnson’s role in the player evaluation and roster building process: “At the end of the day, we want to make sure that we’re giving our coaches players that fit their system, their DNA fits, and that there is a clear vision. One of Ben’s many strengths is creating clarity in terms of how he would use a certain player. So if you go back to last year, lotta discussions about Colston Loveland. And it was very clear how he was going to use him, and we saw that come alive. From an evaluator, that gives you a lot of confidence and conviction when you select a guy that you’re going to get the most out of because there is a belief and a vision from the coach.I’m digging the dynamic that Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson have as a general manager and coach. To be clear, I don’t think they are the only ones with this type of relationship. However, this feels different compared to what he had with former Bears coach Matt Eberflus. It’s not as if Poles didn’t get Ebeflus his types of players, but the difference between Ben and Matt is that Johnson has a clear plan for players, while Eberflus didn’t. No wonder Poles says having Johnson on his side a “tactical advantage.”
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesBears GM Ryan Poles with Rich Eisen
For more from the Chicago Bears general manager, you can watch the video below:
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