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Bear Digest

Every Way Ryan Poles Upgraded the Bears' Roster This Offseason

GMs don't plug needs as much as they project, plan and prioritize to elevate a roster, and in this way Poles used the draft and free agency to boost the team.
Gene Chamberlain|
Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman is in a role of leadership, like many of the players drafted by the Bears.
Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman is in a role of leadership, like many of the players drafted by the Bears. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

General managers think differently than fans.

While fans see a need and want it addressed, the GM sees the big picture and projects for the future as he is building and planning, and not simply tossing around names and needs. They know failed moves they made one year earlier might look different when injuries are not involved the next year.

Bears GM Ryan Poles absorbed plenty of shots from just about everyone outside of Halas Hall for not drafting a defensive end, or addressing defensive tackle until Round 6. It was a repeat of what went on in free agency, unless you've always been a big fan of Kentavius Street, Neville Gallimore and James Lynch.

His thinking isn't so much doubling down on past decisions as much as it is giving moves made last year a chance to work this time, but the injuries suffered by Shemar Turner and Dayo Odeyingbo were serious enough that there is no guarantee both come back 100% by the start of training camp, if not the start of the regular season.

Turner wasn't even intended to be an edge player, even though he played edge and tackle in college—this coming from what the Bears all said themselves last year.  It took injuries and poor run defense to get Turner into a spot he's comfortable playing and then he suffered a torn ACL. As or Odeyingbo, no matter how the Bears paint it, one sack and six pressures in eight games played was not even an average start before his torn Achilles.

Those areas are too obvious as weak spots, but they say they'll give it all a second chance to work.

In the meantime, how they improved the team is what's important to them at this point. It was improved in several ways and not specifically by position, although that's true.

Thinking like the coach and the GM, here's how the Bears are better as a result of the draft and free agency.

1. Depth

No one knows for sure if Logan Jones can overtake Garrett Bradbury as a rookie starter at center, but at the very least they have backed up their proven veteran center with a center who rated one of the best in this year's draft. They're not converting a lineman who they think will play there, or relying on an often-injured player like they did with Ryan Pates and Lucas Patrick in years past.

Receiver looked a bit thin even if their top two had talent, and Zavion Thomas gave them more of it. The only draft pick they made who looks like an immediate starter is safety Dillon Thieneman, but the others will all be vital depth pieces looking to learn while adding a young alternative with talent behind the starters at any of the positions they drafted.

2. Speed

The three obvious additions making them faster are Thieneman with a 4.35-second 40, fourth-round cornerback Malik Muhammad with a 4.42 40, and especially Thomas with a 4.28 at receiver. Muhammad's 4.42 is faster than starters Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson ran, and probably faster than backup Terell Smith can run now after a torn ACL last year.

The goal was becoming faster, as Poles said at the combine. It wasn't just at those positions where it happened. He had first addressed speed with linebacker Devin Bush and safety Coby Bryant in free agency.

The draft speed goes beyond the obvious positions. Jones' 40 time of 4.9 seconds was faster than 2025 starting center Drew Dalman ran in college and faster than all but 3% of centers who ever ran a 40 at the combine.

Sixth-round defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg didn't run at the combine but his 4.94 at a pro day was better than any defensive tackle his size at this year's combine except Tampa Bay fifth-rounder Dylan Capehart.

Linebacker Keyshaun Elliott didn't run a combine 40 but his pro day time of 4.58 was slower only than the 40 times of Bush and D'Marco Jackson among current Bears linebackers.

The Bears recognized they needed to be faster in the secondary after seeing how Christian Watson and Matthew Golden were able to outrun defenders in games against the Packers. They added comparable or better speed not only on defense, but to their own weaponry on offense.

3. Gadgetry

Both coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen are known for tinkering and wizardry on offense and defense. The addition of Thomas gives Johnson all sorts of unusual play possibilities because the former LSU receiver has carried the ball from the backfield and caught it on any manner of screen passes to use his speed. His speed also lifts the lid on secondaries to let others get open. Tight end Sam Roush, in Round 3, gives them a better third tight end blocker and more versatility in that third tight end role, and Johnson loves using 12- and 13- personnel packages. A third tight end with Roush's ability can prove huge on short-yardage plays.

As for Allen, the better speed with Thieneman lets him match up more in man-to-man defense without worrying about a safety getting beat deep by a wide receiver. But it also lets him blitz or use disguised coverages better. Allen loves bringing blitzes from DBs, and was somewhat limited last year. Thieneman and Coby Bryant together means the blitz can come from any of his DBs. They can also use a zone blitz if they want because the DBs have the speed to prevent a big play if the blitzers don't get home.

4. Future leadership

This isn't necessarily something people talk about regarding their on-field product but it's valuable. Intelligence and ability to direct on the field are vital. Players at safety, inside linebacker and center are all always regarded as the leaders of their position groups. The Bears brought them in with this draft at all those positions and saw all of these players as high-character, intelligent types.

Elliott could be a future play caller on defense.

"He’s smart and instinctive, he wore the green dot for them in Arizona State," Bears West Coast scout Reese Hicks said.

Thieneman's speed and athleticism overwhelmed them at No. 25. "And then when you combine that with the athlete that he is, the football IQ, to us it was a no brainer when he was there," Poles said.

As for Jones, at center, "The mental is top notch," Poles said. "We saw all the traits that we're looking for, whether it's the run game or in pass-pro, and we brought him in for a top 30, and I think that's when it really solidified it for us that ‘yeah, he's got the makeup.’ The guys at Iowa were raving about him, and then just the next level in terms of the football IQ as well."

Bottom line

A team deeper, smarter, faster, and more explosive roster comes out of this draft and free agency.

It's true they found no solution as a third and fourth edge rusher. That's a pretty big problem to leave unaddressed.

There's more work to do.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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