Pressing the Down Button

Ryan Poles wants draft picks and to get them will require trading down come Friday, but he'd be willing to do this given the right circumstances.

The need for the Bears to acquire more picks in this draft has not gone overlooked by general manager Ryan Poles.

Poles would like to trade back for help, which seems all too obvious considering the team's rebuilding status, even if he doesn't want to call it that.

"I do think we will be in the business, depending on where it is, and what it looks like, in moving back and trying to create more (picks)," Poles said. "That's just what we've been handed and we're going to maximize that."

Poles addressed the media about his first draft after the Brian Piccolo awards on Tuesday and that underlying need to trade back for more picks is undeniable considering key factors, like the need for plenty of more players on the roster and the need for more than six picks in this draft.

With only the 39th, 48th, 71st, 148th, 150th and 186th picks, the Bears are not situated the way a rebuilding team should be because the first year is a great time to add plenty of young talent.

"It’s definitely a challenge but at the same time that's why I was hired, that's why our group is doing what we do is to take what we have and construct the best roster we can and have the best draft we can," Poles said.

When Poles is considering trading down, he has a few key questions to ask himself before dropping to take a pick.

"So where is that pick located at in the draft and can I still get a quality player at that level as well?" he said. "Also, you can accumulate on the back end and package things up and move them again.

"So really it's just the volume and where the draft is deep at certain positions."

The receives are there early and into mid rounds. As for other positions, Poles thinks the talent can last until late.

"I would say the O-line depth is pretty good," Poles said. "Some good depth at the DBs, there's a couple good defensive linemen, the running back class may not be top heavy, but there's like a ton–it's crazy how many running backs there are."

He blames some of that on the number of players in college football who opted out for COVID-19 and preserved their eligibility another year before entering the NFL.

While Poles acknowledges the importance of Justin Fields in the team's reconstructive process, he isn't going to grab for a receiver or two who is not graded as high as other receivers simply because Fields lacks targets.

"I think any time you just improve the team overall, you're helping all of the players out," Poles said. "That can look different. You could say he needs receivers, receivers, receivers, but he needs blocking, too and he also needs balance in terms of running the ball efficiently and getting that done up front and then you can do some play-action pass stuff. Then you can do different things.

"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."

It's his way of saying best athlete available.

He won't say this, just like he doesn't like to say the word rebuild. Asked about the scope of his team's rebuild he bristled a bit.

"Regardless of how you use whatever term that is, we just continue to add talent," Poles said. "And young talent, older talent, whatever it takes to make the best team possible."

Poles thinks what he has done with the roster is like one of the home-improvement programs he might watch with his wife.

"You might have to redo some countertops over here, some fresh paint over there," Poles said. "Some rooms are good. You don't need to touch them. So that's kind of the thought process there. That's not a rebuild."

He forgot knocking out some walls and windows, resetting the foundation and replacing all the wall studs.

One man's construction is another's rebuild, is another's very difficult task. And Poles will try to take big strides in getting it done on Friday.

It will make it much easier if he could trade down once or twice.

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