Cleaning Up After Ryan Poles

Teams in the NFL always like their drafts and the Bears do.

Teams in the NFL who like their drafts always want more time, which seems to run counter to the self-congratulations they offer up when the draft ends.

The Bears did exactly this after the draft, too.

GM Ryan Poles warned against expecting too much too soon from rookies. After a 3-14 season, it's probably not what many Bears fans want to hear even if there is truth to what he says.

"With that, I think when you add a lot of rookies in the draft process that are going to play for you, they have to learn to be pros, as well, so that's going to take a little bit of time," Poles said. "That's why we've tried to do a nice job kind of balancing in the young guys and this past free agent class."

Poles took several players whose chracter they lauded, including running back Roschon Johnson and defensive tackle Travis Bell. It can't hurt as they try to blend this mix together

"That's the other thing we need to talk about, too, is just building that chemistry with all these new players coming together," Poles said. "So we're looking forward to the off-season and putting that time in and building that chemistry so everyone can rely on each other."

While Poles said after the draft they believe quarterback Justin Fields has been supported, there are also questions about how well supported he is.

Whether it's with an offensive line that now has a legitimate right tackle in Darnell Wright, or on defense where they need to limit points so Fields has a chance to win, the Bears think their QB has help.

There are possible flaws in what they threw together during the draft on offense, as well as defense and special teams and here are some.

1. Center

The idea expressed by Matt Eberflus and by Poles is Cody Whitehair will be moving from guard to starting center. They drafted no center even though there were opportunities in the first four rounds for players highly regarded. It was a solid year for centers.

John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota lasted to No. 57 and the Giants took him. Penn State's Juice Scruggs was selected at No. 62.

"For right now, I feel good with Cody and Lucas, both as leaders and players," Poles said. "They've both played that position well in the past, so I think we're in good shape there.

"Obviously that's my job is to always look forward and add competition in certain positions, and we'll continue to do that."

Whitehair did play it well enough to make the Pro Bowl in 2018.

2. Floaters

They lack a third tight end beyond undrafted free agent types. An injury to Cole Kmet can totally disrupt their offensive edge for the run because he is a vital blocker. Free agent acquisition Robert Tonyan Jr. is a nice pickup but he's 23 pounds lighter than Kmet and more of a move tight end than an in-line player. That's one spot they could look for some help from a street free agent or someone who slipped through the free agency cracks to this point.

Another spot is guard. They have many candidates to be backups on the offensive line. Depth with experience seems a strength, but is it?

Alex Leatherwood was a tackle and was moved to guard by Las Vegas. He wasn't good enough as a Raiders guard for them to keep him. So they waived him.

Larry Borom was a tackle but the Bears used him at guard in two games. Borom had a rock solid season when playing tackle, from the standpoint of a backup and was graded middle of the pack as a starter at right tackle by analytics website Pro Football Focus with grades in the 60s. In the two games he played at guard, he had his worst ratings by that site, marks of 44.6 and 48.6 against Buffalo and Minnesota.

Patrick could always be a backup guard, but he didn't exactly stand out last year wherever they had him.

And 2022 rookie seventh-rounder Ja'Tyre Carter only got onto the field for 31 plays of offense, so they can't be too certain about his potential contribution.

A veteran backup guard might be something to look for, as well. Last year they benefited from Michael Schofield, who was cut and then brought back. He performed at a PFF blocking grade 24th overall in the league for guards, and 30th as a run blocker.

It doesn't look like they have a player of that capability in this group of backups.

Both the extra tight end and backup guard are places they could look at for a street free agent. Schofield is unsigned.

3. Defensive End

This drum will be beaten until they sign or trade for someone. It's easily their most ignored spot in the draft and free agency. The explanation by Eberflus about how they'll generate a rush—by denting the pocket from the interior—works until you get up against a composed veteran quarterback who picks your secondary apart because he knows the edges won't get there and the tackles are only going to dent the pocket, but not shred it.

Jared Goff and Kirk Cousins come to mind as veterans who will stand in there and throw it anyway, and they'll face those two QBs twice a year.

Also, Jordan Love is a big quarterback at 6-foot-4, and Eberflus suggested this approach of caving in the pocket's interior can work because quarterbacks now are shorter. Love isn't shorter and they'll see him twice a year. At least in his case, the experience factor works on the side of the Bears.

Chase Young's fifth-year option is being declined by the Commanders, so a trade is always possible. This one will be sitting out there for the Bears but it's not an easy situation to approach considering his knee injury past.

Until they have pass rush help, the defense can still give up too many points for Fields to counteract.

4. Punt Returner

They did add speed and quickness in fourth-round receiver Tyler Scott but he wasn't a punt returner in college. He did a great job covering punts as a gunner but did not return. They signed Dante Pettis before the draft but there is still a need for someone to step up and challenge Pettis, someone who can field the ball better on punts than Velus Jones Jr. did last year.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

Add us as a preferred source on Google