Now is Kevin Warren's moment to excel with the Chicago Bears.
It's official�the Chicago Bears are currently regarded as the least efficiently managed team in the National Football League. Despite two years into what should have been a promising rebuilding phase, featuring the emergence of the franchise's first superstar quarterback, the Bears find themselves grappling with questions surrounding their quarterback situation, coaching staff, and most critically, their general manager.
In light of the recent news regarding Jaylon Johnson's trade request from the Bears, it doesn't truly matter whether he is traded or if he eventually reaches a contract extension with the team. The mere fact that one of the team's most promising young talents in a key position expressed discontentment by requesting a trade, especially after previously indicating he wasn't seeking to reset the market, reflects poorly on Ryan Poles.
Amidst all the turmoil of this season, from the handling of Alan Williams' departure to the Chase Claypool saga, Justin Fields' coaching comments, the disappointing Sunday performances, and most recently, the peculiar fixation on Bagent that somehow infiltrated the discussions from the halls of Halas Hall to the Sunday Night Football broadcast with millions of viewers, it's high time for Kevin Warren to assert his influence�if he intends to usher in change.
If Kevin Warren genuinely aims to bring transformation to the Chicago Bears as their new president, it should begin by halting any trade offers for Jaylon Johnson until the end of the season.
What Chicago Bears fans can clearly see, what Ryan Poles and his team may not fully comprehend, and what we hope Kevin Warren recognizes is that Ryan Poles' tenure has been marred by numerous decisions involving well-performing teams, nearly all of which have been detrimental for the Bears.
Consider the first instance: trading Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for a late second-round pick in the 2023 draft. The Ravens have maintained one of the league's premier defenses since that trade and, with Roquan Smith's extension, appear to be strong contenders in the AFC. In contrast, the Bears used that pick to select Gervon Dexter Sr.
Next, the trade for Chase Claypool in exchange for what ultimately became the 32nd overall pick in the draft. The Steelers possess a young quarterback in need of development, and it's perplexing why they would trade a wide receiver of Claypool's caliber, who would command a first-round pick in the open market. The answer is that they wouldn't, because that's not Chase Claypool's value. Yet, Ryan Poles made the deal, turning that 32nd overall pick into a sixth-round selection in 2024 just one year later.
The most recent example is allowing the Eagles to secure a pick and draft a potentially generational 3-technique player�a position that the Bears' own head coach describes as "the engine of the defense." This isn't a slight on Darnell Wright but rather a reflection of the Bears' decision-making process, or lack thereof, which seems to consistently run counter to some of the best-managed organizations in the NFL.
Now, with the Jaylon Johnson trade rumors looming, if he is indeed traded, it will likely be to one of the league's top contenders such as Buffalo, San Francisco, or Dallas. At this juncture in Ryan Poles' tenure, can he be trusted to navigate such a high-stakes negotiation? If I were Kevin Warren, the answer would be a resounding no. The last thing the Bears need is to face public embarrassment twice in one week, let alone during a season already marred by multiple disappointments.
If Kevin Warren is truly committed to reshaping the team's culture, it begins by putting a hold on any significant transactions until the end of the season, allowing him to gain a comprehensive understanding of how to address the front office and coaching staff. While stadium plans are important, they can wait because, ultimately, a new stadium is only as valuable as the team it hosts.
| POLL | ||
31 OCTOBRE | 40 ANSWERS Now is Kevin Warren's moment to excel with the Chicago Bears. Can the Bears turn their season around? | ||
| Yes | 12 | 30 % |
| no | 28 | 70 % |
| List of polls | ||
