How And Why Did Ryan Poles Get An Extension After Doing Absolutely NOTHING To Build A Competitive Roster Since 2022
I can't get over what we saw on Sunday from the Bears in Detroit. Poles has had four offseasons to tear down, mold, and remake the team he wanted. In those four drafts he has yet to select a single pro bowl player. The best player on the defense was one he inherited. He spent a ton of money on defense, the 5th most expensive defensive roster in the league, just to see them get smoked for 52 points because they can't rush the passer and they can't cover anyone at the moment. After four years the team is no better than it was when he took over. All he did was oversee trading away Roquan Smith for a late second rounder.
His first coaching staff was an unmitigated disaster...and he brought them back for another year. I really like the Ben Johnson hire, but the team doesn't look ANY different than it did under the previous regime. Stupid penalties. Guys quitting. No cohesion. It's a mess. It feels rotten. It feels like Poles has built a team of guys who don't seem to give a fuck. Dan made a great point on the show...the Saints and Panthers are HORRIBLE, but at least those guys fight and compete. We got none of that against Detroit. The Bears rolled over again. The talent looks average at best. And it's the drafts that kill you. Luxury picks like punters in the 4th round, 25 year old kick returners in the 3rd, injured project LT from Yale in the 3rd, and on and on it goes.
Then you look at the 2025 class of rookies.
Loveland...no catches on Sunday
Burden...no catches on Sunday
Tripillo...healthy scratch
Turner...healthy scratch.
Four guys picked in the first two rounds that can't help you win at all. Not to mention all the other misses. Claypool trade was a huge bust. Sweat trade and subsequent contract starting to look like a bust. Darnell Wright doesn't exactly look like an anchor on the right side of the line. Who knows what Caleb is going to be. We are stuck in purgatory again.
Poles has a sterling record of 15-38 after two weeks into his 4th season. A season that optimistically had an 8 win ceiling anyways is now looking like a team that will win 5 or less games...again.
Despite an overwhelming amount of evidence against Poles...they gave him a big extension. Why? How? Because he hired Ben Johnson? Because McCaskey doesn't know any better. Because Warren likes him? The culture is rotten. If there's a way out of this my ears are open. Giving Poles an extension after his three year track record is malpractice. The Bears need another rebuild and it's impossible to look at Poles and say he's the man for the job.