In Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright, the 10th pick in the 2023 NFL draft, the Bears totally got their man.
Oh, please, as if they’d admit it if they were hoping for somebody else.
In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter, we wanted to know what you think about the selection of Wright. After all, by the time late April rolls around, we’re all draft experts, aren’t we?
“We passed up a great lineman for a good one,” @ChicagoDonutMan commented. “I like Wright, but Jalen Carter is vastly better.”
“I love the pick,” @ChrisLindenmie2 weighed in. “I just hope fans understand that offensive tackle is one of the hardest positions in the NFL.”
Also, we asked voters to grade general manager Ryan Poles on his work since grabbing the reins in January of last year. Spoiler alert: Fans are impressed.
Finally, we asked for a way-too-early forecast of the Bears record this coming season. Why the heck not? It’s only a little over four months away.
On to the polls:
Poll No. 1: What’s your first take on the Bears’ first-round pick, Tennessee offensive lineman Darnell Wright?
It’s time for this week’s “Polling Place.” Let us hear from you! Selected comments will appear in Saturday's paper.
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) April 28, 2023
Poll No. 1: What’s your first take on the Bears’ first-round pick, Tennessee offensive lineman Darnell Wright?
Upshot: Wright is a large human, which tends not to hurt in the wall-o’-beef department. He’s known as a physical run blocker who also got the better of Alabama’s all-everything pass rusher, Will Anderson, in a head-to-head matchup last season. Fans are geeked about the pick, as they tend to want to be. Summed up cleverly by @KJ93728285: “Wright pick.”
Poll No. 2: What grade would you give Bears general manager Ryan Poles for his performance to this point?
Poll No. 2: What grade would you give Bears general manager Ryan Poles for his performance to this point?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) April 28, 2023
Upshot: Nothing says “honeymoon” like these terrific marks after the Bears lost 10 games in a row to end their first season on Poles’ watch. That’s not to say he hasn’t been busy making moves — most of them well received — from the jump. Was the fourth-round pick Poles got from the Eagles to move down a spot in the first round good enough? Not quite, according to @dj_bobby_c, who gave Poles a B.
Poll No. 3: What number of wins are you expecting for the Bears in 2023?
Poll No. 3: What number of wins are you expecting for the Bears in 2023?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) April 28, 2023
Upshot: Do these count as modest expectations? Seven or eight wins still would leave the Bears with a losing record. For sure, everyone will be looking for a significant step forward from 3-14. And now, back to your regularly scheduled offseason.
