LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- In assessing the Bears' future, general manager Ryan Poles also has had to evaluate the present.
Poles realized upon being hired by the Bears last January that the team lacked the number of building blocks necessary to contend in 2022. But he also drew hope in three young players in particular whom he inherited – cornerback Jaylon Johnson, tight end Cole Kmet and receiver Darnell Mooney, who each made a strong impression this past season.
As Poles prepares to continue rebuilding the roster and looks to add more talent across the board, he might first be inclined to offer contract extensions to Johnson, Kmet and Mooney.
"I hope they feel the same way about me," the 23-year-old Johnson said in December before a finger fracture ended his season after just 11 games. "We'll see. It will be a crazy situation to be in different colors than orange and blue. I'm just looking forward to hopefully having that extension and carrying something on and continuing to be a Bear throughout my career."
The Bears added Johnson, Kmet and Mooney in the 2020 NFL Draft, which was impacted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As society was forced into isolation that spring, the NFL pressed onward with its scouting without a combine, pro days, in-person meetings and critical evaluation opportunities.
Former Bears general manager Ryan Pace hit on his pair of second-round selections in Johnson and Kmet, then found a key player for the offense in the fifth-round pick Mooney.
While Poles saw shortcomings across the Bears' depth chart that led to him quickly start a rebuild, he was also drawn to those three players. Though Johnson, Kmet and Mooney dealt with injuries and/or inconsistencies in 2022, Poles remains enamored in their futures. Those three are entering contract years in 2023.
On Tuesday, as Poles was asked about blue-chip players he found this season, he singled out the 23-year-old Kmet first before any other player on the roster.
"I thought he elevated his game from the film that I watched last year to what it was this year," Poles said. "So, that's exciting."
Kmet had a team-leading 50 receptions for 544 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022 after he produced just two touchdowns across his first two NFL seasons. He also emerged as a key blocker for the Bears' league-best rushing offense.
"My focus every week has been just getting a little bit better at something each and every day," Kmet said. "And when you do that and you're able to stack days like that, you look back to Week 1 and you look back to OTAs, you can really see those steps and how you've grown throughout the course of the season."
Mooney, 25, was the Bears' second-leading receiver with 40 receptions for 493 yards and two touchdowns despite suffering a season-ending ankle injury in late November that cost him the final five games.
As a rookie in 2020, Mooney was a surprising standout for the Bears. He then became a key figure for quarterback Justin Fields in 2021 by posting 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns. Mooney instantly caught the attention of Poles, who singled him out last February after carefully scouting the roster.
"I love him more than I did when I first walked in the door," Poles said Tuesday. "I think he's a special human being, first and foremost, and a really good football player."
The Bears believe Mooney will be cleared to return from his ankle injury in the spring, a timeline that would allow him to participate in parts of the offseason program and all of training camp.
As Poles forms his plans for the offseason — in which the Bears boast the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft and also more than $118 million in projected salary cap space — there's an opportunity to lock in three players who have made strong impressions.
Johnson, Kmet and Mooney seem to have each earned the belief of Poles as key pieces to the Bears' future.
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
