New sub board - Offseason!

This is the thinnest draft in many years.  Most are saying its about 3-4 rounds and that's it.  IOW, a guy drafted in the 5th this year would probably have been a UDFA in most drafts.  A record number of underclassmen chose to stay in school.

I love seeing Poles play 3-D chess here.  He knew this and so wasn't shy about trading his later picks, essentially throwaways this year anyway, knowing next years draft is likely to much deeper.  The guy is savvy with his picks and cap management and I give him a lot of credit for that after watching Pace screw things up over and over.

Poles seems to have scaled the GM learning curve quickly and with few mistakes along the way.  I remember early-on how some Bears fans wanted him fired.  SMH.  Poles has positioned the team to be a contender.  I don't know if it will be one.  But Poles is doing his part.  

I expect the team to win more games now.  The team has gone from a 3-win to a 7-win season last year.  They will do even MORE winning this year.  So, of course, Ryan Poles should get credit for turning the Chicago Bears team around... especially in such a short time span.  Yes, he is accountable.  But I am MORE THEN pleased with this progress.  Even with a re-set with a rookie quarterback we should continue to see real progress being made.  As you (rightly) pointed out in a post I read a day or so ago, the other NFCN teams are not static.  They are trying to improve also.  The NFCN is going to be a very tough (maybe THE toughest) division if the entire NFL.  So making progress overcoming those teams is a significant improvement for the Bears.  The odds makers have the over/under as 8.5 wins this year.  I think I'd take the over on that one.  Even in a "murderers row" division I believe the Bears will beat the odds this year.  I just  want to see the team continue to improve significantly - as it has.  If that continues then we won't need to worry about anything.  Just relax and enjoy this, David.  It really reminds me of the early 1980's here.  Enjoy this.  It doesn't happen very often for Bears fans.  I'm still thinking the Bears will have the team ready for a championship run in 2026.  

He is accountable now and moving forward.  Each season will be evaluated.  I have said in many posts spanning months now that I expect the team to improve each year and in 2026 be a team that can seriously compete for the championship.  If the team falls short of winning a SB that isn't necessarily a "fail" situation that requires everyone getting fired.  I would have to see the season itself and determine in my own mind if I think the GM has failed, or not.   I don't grade on pass/fail linked to wins alone.  There can be reasons beyond a GM's control that can impact a season in a negative way.  Injuries for one.  If the franchise QB gets IR'd and the injury bug bites some other key players, hey, that team probably isn't going to win a SB, right?  Do you fire the GM there?  No, I wouldn't.  That would be lunacy.