It's a Good First Step for Bears GM

Bears GM Ryan Poles grades a solid "B" for his start to an offseason when he had the benefit of numerous assets other teams lack.

The rush to judgment causes some to grade every single offseason move NFL teams team make.

Does Ryan Poles get an "A" grade for signing third-team running back Travis Homer, too? Where to draw the line is the question.

Free agency is part of an overall offseason plan and it's easier to grade an approach over one single act. A signing or two can mean little.

The best point to cut off early grading on free agency is the 3 p.m. deadline March 15 because it's the start of the new league year, and the agreements reached over the past 52 hours then become official.

Ryan Poles is earning high marks in many places for his start to the offseason.

He's even getting praise from Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated, who a year ago was hung in effigy by Bears fans for suggesting it would be better for Justin Fields if the NFL had a portal so he could leave because they weren't supporting him.

Pro Football Focus and CBS Sports have given high marks for the early signings.

The overall plan for Poles so far looks better than some of the individual moves.

The grade for his offseason approach to date has to be solid "B". If the expected continuation of this course occurs during later free agency and the draft, Poles could go up even higher.

However, the track they have taken leaves open the possibility they're going to get stuck without acceptable options at some positions. It might start to look like last year a little then, and this is what can keep the Bears from being one of those last-to-first stories—that and the Detroit Lions.

Here's why Ryan Poles' efforts so far rate a "B" grade.

The Trade

The highest of marks go to Poles in this one, especially for acting when he did. It has been suggested in many circles he traded too soon. This was a huge deal to get as many picks as they did and to get D.J. Moore, and there's no guarantee this even stands later in the draft. It could. It could get better. Who's to say the Panthers don't get a better look at the quarterbacks in Pro Days and through more meetings and decide they don't really need the top pick, but could get the second pick or even third to get their guy. Poles set parameters for what he could expect for that first pick and got it. Reports suggest he could have made this deal with another first-rounder but not Moore, but insisted on Moore, a veteran, proven receiver and former first-rounder. The Panthers were less willing to part with Moore but did. Again, he knew what he wanted more and got it.

The Mike McGlinchey Defeat

While they were reportedly interested in 49ers tackle Mike McGlinchey, they had drawn a line for cost and decided the Broncos had taken them over the line. This is admirable considering they had so much cap cash. It showed Poles is using his brains and not straying from his plan. Brad Biggs of the Tribune reported that Poles was right there in striking distance at $85 million or $17 million a year but that was the ceiling.

On the other hand, they still have no real right tackle because Braxton Jones has never played it in games, even in college. Riley Reiff signed with the Patriots so they're not bringing him back. They didn't pursue Orlando Brown Jr. like every other team, because he either overpriced himself or isn't a fit in their wide zone scheme or both. They didn't throw $20 million a year at a poor run blocker, Jawaan Taylor. Nor did they sign

Linebacker Signings

They didn't overpay for Bobby Okereke, who got a reported four years and $40 million from the Giants, and instead signed T.J. Edwards at a reasonable three years and $19.5 million with $7.9 million guaranteed.

They paid plenty for Tremaine Edmunds, $72 million and $50 million guaranteed, but in this case and also Edwards' it must be assumed Matt Eberflus' influence is great because of his experience as a linebackers coach.

The two decision makers had their heads put together on this one. They know they have two quality linebackers who could both play weakside or middle in case of injuries. They also have versatility which makes them less predictable in scheme while letting them match up better against offenses no matter the personnel. How many times have we seen Aaron Rodgers pick them apart based on the personnel mismatches? Having two linebackers with the speed and instincts to play pass coverage with the size/speed combination to get downhill in a hurry on runs is a tremendous asset in a pass-happy league.

Head-Scratcher

It's difficult to see what they have intended for Nate Davis, the guard acquisition. No one can debate his skill level. The rushing yards Derrick Henry has over the years testify to this. However, their best lineman by grade last year was guard Teven Jenkins, and Cody Whitehair has been their most consistent lineman over the course of his career.

They also haven't defined whether Larry Borom or Alex Leatherwood are guards or tackles or both, and have 2022 sixth-round pick Ja'Tyre Carter. Guards are everywhere. They talk about bringing in a bunch of linemen, putting the best five on the field and then determining position. That's nice coachspeak but oversimplified silly talk. It's tough to see what they'll do here, possibly trade Whitehair, or maybe Jenkins or even move Jenkins back to right tackle where he had been.

Keep guessing, but when the Bears address the media at the owners meetings or before the draft it's likely they won't say a thing to clear this up. It's not going to be clear until OTAs.

It's not a situation to downgrade anyone when you've added an excellent player for three years, $30 million with $19.25 million guaranteed.

Al-Quadin Muhammad Rerun?

The signing of DeMarcus Walker at $21 million for three years looks statistically like the Al-Quadin Muhammad signing and that didn't work at all. Walker's statistics and his past role as a player in a rotation for about 35%-to-40% of snaps say this. The edge position in free agency is void of top-level talent but it's entirely possible they could have eventually pulled in one of the better pass rushers for not much more than they paid for Walker by waiting a bit. And some of those pass rushers are not bad run defenders, like Jadeveon Clowney. It's obvious they're going to look for pass rush help in the draft, too, and not just three technique. Right now their defensive end position looks less than impressive to say the least, with Trevis Gipson, Dominique Robinson—who had one quarterback hit and no sacks in his last 15 games last year—and Walker.

The Titans were unwilling to pay the $21 million for Walker that the Bears did, but they were willing to give it to edge rusher Arden Key. Maybe the Bears should have signed  Key?

David Montgomery Departure

It's obvious at this point because of the failure to meet a low cost that the Bears did not really want Montgomery back. This is fine. It's the way the NFL works now. They do need a running back who can pass-block and catch passes like Montgomery now. Finding the running skills isn't the real task as those with acceptable running ability come along every year in the draft and free agency, except for the truly elite runners. It's finding the all-around help that matters because Khalil Herbert can't do it. There's no telling what they have in Trestan Ebnber and Homer is a third-down back at 202 pounds. This is a definite net negative until there is proof positive.

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