LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- As he arrived home late Sunday after the Bears ended their season on a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak, general manager Ryan Poles heard the shout from a friend in his neighborhood.
Poles was congratulated on the Bears landing the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, a development that came about by virtue of their 29-13 loss to the Vikings at Soldier Field and the Texans’ thrilling 32-31 win over the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. It was a turn of events that allowed Chicago to leap Houston into the top spot in the 2023 NFL Draft following a 3-14 campaign.
With that in mind, Poles noted that he isn’t comfortable being congratulated for the Bears landing the No. 1 pick.
“I’m still not in that mindset right now,” Poles said Tuesday morning as he addressed reporters at Halas Hall. “It hurts. It hurts to be in that position. Obviously, the opportunities and the things that will come from that, I hope that it helps us. But you’re always expecting to win. You don’t want to be in this position.”
Related
While the losses were hard to stomach, the Bears landing the No. 1 pick was a best-case result for Poles’ careful plan for the future, one he began late last January when hired as the Bears’ new general manager. Poles quickly realized the team had “a long way to go,” as he candidly characterized Tuesday when reflecting on this first season.
Now, the Bears have the opportunity to maximize value with the top pick, which could represent a golden ticket for Poles and his brass to build out their vision.
Poles sees the Bears' position as one marked by “flexibility,” as he put it.
“We can evaluate the talent there, we can see what player presents themselves in that position to help us, and then we can look at the scenarios,” Poles said. “If the phones go off and there are certain situations where (a trade) can help us, then we’ll go down that avenue too. I think we have really good flexibility to help this team, regardless if it’s making the pick there or moving back a little bit or moving back a lot. We’ll be open to everything.”
The Bears have selected No. 1 overall twice before in franchise history, with the last time being in 1947, when they took running back Bob Fenimore. The Bears obtained the No. 1 pick this time after their 3-4 start was followed by the aforementioned franchise record of 10 straight losses. The Bears' season bottomed out following trades of veteran pass rusher Robert Quinn (Eagles) and star linebacker Roquan Smith (Ravens) prior to the trade deadline on Nov. 1.
Despite the struggles, Poles pointed to his faith in 23-year-old quarterback Justin Fields in sharing optimism for the Bears' future. As he prepares to evaluate the best scenarios for the No. 1 overall pick, Poles made it clear that it’s unlikely he would make a move for a prized quarterback prospect like Alabama's Bryce Young or Ohio State's C.J. Stroud.
"I'd have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision,” Poles said.
The 2023 NFL Draft will begin April 27 in Kansas City.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
Listen live to 670 The Score via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker