After reading my column last week about Bears general manager Ryan Poles and “lying season,” a trusted former NFL executive reached out. He wanted to let me know that Poles has a reputation for being truthful almost to a fault. He let me know that Poles’ asking price for the No. 1 pick wasn’t that crazy and that I should buckle up for the Bears to get something done.
Two days later …
The Bears traded with the Panthers, moving the No. 1 spot for a bunch of picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore. Turns out, my source really does have his pulse on the league. It’s refreshing to know that there are still trustworthy football people in these streets, even during lying season.
The downside of lying season is that people don’t trust anyone, even when they’re telling the truth. Poles was a poker player who knew he had the cards. He wasn’t shy about saying plainly what he expected in return — a most refreshing turn of events that may have caused other players at the table to blink. It seems teams such as the Colts and Raiders called his bluff, but he turned over pocket aces and made the Panthers deal. Poles has a poker face that Lady Gaga would envy.
Draft-pick compensation was the driving force behind this deal, but adding Moore as the sweetener is really good business. For weeks, we heard pundits posit that Poles would look to trade Justin Fields. These moves show confidence that Fields can grow into the quarterback that allows the Bears to be competitive. It gives him a weapon that immediately upgrades the offense.
Moore has spent five years with the Panthers. In that time, he amassed 5,201 receiving yards. To give his production perspective: Moore’s five-year total would put him at the top of the Bears’ franchise all-time list for receiving yards. I know you’re stunned by that so let me say it differently. No Bears pass-catcher in the history of the franchise has more yards than Moore has produced in the last five seasons. Not Brandon Marshall. Not Alshon Jeffery. Not Willie Gault or even Johnny Morris.
That’s a shameful history for the Bears — one they hope to improve upon immediately.
Besides his own production, Moore adds something else of value: He will draw attention from defenses. That should allow for a healthy Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool to have space to operate. The addition of Moore elevates the Bears’ receiver room to respectable levels. It helps make Fields’ life easier and the evaluation of this quarterback more equitable.
But back to Poles. My NFL friend mentioned something else that had me thinking after the trade was reported. He said: “This trade could very well be his legacy. [bleep] load of pressure for a 37-year-old and second-year GM.”
He’s right. Hopefully, Poles is never again in a position where his team finishes with the worst record and No. 1 pick. Feel free to root against Carolina all next year though, since the Bears hold their first-round pick. The time was now to strike and Poles was downright icy in his approach.
The Bears have taken a huge step toward legitimacy because of the trade and the players added in free agency. Poles won this round of poker, but there’s still more to find out about him. He’s got the wheeling and dealing part down. The next challenge is providing proof that he and his staff have a good handle on evaluating talent in the draft. Salary-cap flexibility won’t always be there and the draft is where the best general managers repeatedly succeed.
Poles has had the best week of his short tenure, but the pressure is on. Here’s the thing about Bears fans: Now that they’ve seen you be successful, they’ll get greedy. And for a starving fan base that’s ready to win, greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works.
Take a victory lap, Ryan. Find the biggest steak and the best bottle of wine the city can offer — then get back to work.
You can hear Laurence Holmes talk Chicago sports Monday to Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on 670 The Score with Dan Bernstein.
