LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- The concept of rebuilding carries a negative perception in sports. On the surface, it suggests several seasons of struggling before potentially reaching the ultimate goal of winning at a high level. Rebuilding can be painful and often casts a shadow of doubt over those in charge.
“The rebuild thing is, like, super sensitive,” first-year Bears general manager Ryan Poles said when asked if his team is rebuilding. “We’re constructing a very good football team. Regardless of how you use whatever term that is, we just continue to add talent.”
Two days before leading his first NFL Draft with the Bears, Poles on Tuesday revealed he's forcing himself to step away from the team’s draft board. The hay is finally in the barn. After countless hours and many long days of carefully scouting this class, Poles is proud of the work his front office and scouting department have completed.
On Thursday evening, Poles and members of his Bears brass will watch from the second floor of Halas Hall and see which of the many scenarios they envisioned will play out. Chicago currently holds six selections in this draft, with the first two being picks Nos. 39 and 48 in the second round. The Bears should have enough draft capital to make a bold move into the first round if they want to do so. The same would seem to be true should they be interested in acquiring 49ers star receiver Deebo Samuel or Seahawks star receiver DK Metcalf (Seahawks), a pair of players who have landed in trade speculation recently.
But a blockbuster move by the Bears would go against Poles’ goal of building a deeper, more sustainable roster. He hopes to bring Chicago long-term success. It’s why he hasn’t prioritized one position of need over any other this offseason while looking to build around second-year quarterback Justin Fields. Poles hasn’t blown the Bears' cap flexibility on a star receiver. Instead, he has placed an emphasis on forming a well-rounded roster one step at a time.
“Any time you just improve the team overall, you’re helping all of the players out,” Poles said. “That can look different. I mean, you could say (Fields) needs receivers, receivers, receivers, but he needs blocking too, and he also needs balance in terms of running the ball efficiently, getting that done up front, and then you can do some play-action pass stuff, you can do different things.
“(Forcing) turnovers. Maybe a returner to flip the field to score more points. So, it’s all connected. That’s really why the mindset is to get the best players on this team as possible. If I get too lopsided and be like, ‘I’ve got to do this specific thing,’ I think that’s where you lead into big mistakes.
“I truly believe in homegrown talent. I truly believe in drafting the right players and developing them here, and that will help us in the long run."
Poles inherited a poor hand when he was hired by the Bears in late January. He took over a roster that lacked the premier talent and depth needed to be a contender and which was in a salary cap crunch. At the time of his hiring, Poles had just five draft picks at his disposal in 2022.
What Poles does have is a Bears ownership group led by chairman George McCaskey that's willing to be patient. Poles could've left Halas Hall in late January and flown to Minneapolis, where he may have been offered a contract to be the Vikings’ general manager and faced expectations to win immediately. Instead, he accepted the offer in Chicago and took charge of a new direction.
Poles' intentions became clear on March 10, when he reached a deal with the Chargers to trade star pass rusher Khalil Mack to Los Angeles. He has signed just three players – center Lucas Patrick, defensive lineman Al-Quadin Muhammad and defensive lineman Justin Jones – to multi-year deals, bringing in the rest of his free-agent class on one-year opportunities. Poles has also been selective with his comments about Fields, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft whom he inherited as a starting quarterback.
There are plenty of variables that will determine when or if the Bears turn into a contender. Poles isn’t going to call this a rebuild, but he's reminding everyone that this project will require patience and discipline.
“Whatever it takes to make the best team possible,” Poles said. “You know, late night with the wife, you’re watching TV, you get the home network (HGTV) where there are some rooms that are good. You might have to redo some countertops over here, some fresh paint over there. Some rooms are good, you don’t need to touch them.
“That’s kind of the thought process there. That’s not a rebuild.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.