Ryan Poles’ trade with the Panthers for DJ Moore and what eventually became the No. 1 overall pick was a masterstroke that earned the Bears’ first-time general manager a ton of goodwill and credibility that has insulated him from issues the team has had this -season.
But that cushion is dissipating by the minute. And after the Bears’ hit a disheartening, discouraging low in a 19-3 loss to the Patriots on Sunday at Soldier Field — the kind of demoralizing low point that elicited memories of fired coaches and GMs of the Bears’ recent past — even Poles is nearing the frame of the bull’s-eye on coach Matt Eberflus.
More than ever, Poles is not just the guy who fleeced the Panthers, but the guy who hired Eberflus. And the guy who endorsed Eberflus’ hiring of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. And the guy who defended the building of an offensive line that is in tatters.
All three — Eberflus, Waldron and the -offensive line — are combining to commit the one crime that could undercut everything Poles has done to rebuild the Bears: ruin the best quarterback prospect the Bears have ever had.
It’s too early to draw that conclusion about Caleb Williams, just nine games into his NFL career. But the warning signs are there, never more so than on Sunday. Williams looked like a young quarterback with no feel for the position, when he is supposed to be just the opposite.
He took nine sacks, most because of poor protection but some because -Williams is struggling to navigate the pocket and instinctively get himself out of harm’s way, another area that’s supposed to be a strength. And Waldron’s play-calling, which includes too many instances where the defense seems to know his offense better than he does, is forcing Williams to be more than he has to be.
That’s the exact opposite of Poles’ plan for Williams.
By trading for wide receiver Keenan -Allen and drafting wide receiver Rome Odunze ninth overall — after acquiring Moore and drafting right tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th overall pick in 2023 — Poles thought he was providing the rookie quarterback with a support system that no quarterback drafted No. 1 overall had ever had.
It sounded good. But it has been rife with disappointments, including Moore, Allen and the offensive line that Poles — a former -offensive lineman at Boston College — was assumed to have a knack for building.
But after the Bears’ third consecutive loss, which turned their fans into boo birds, the most heat on Poles stems from one -decision — keeping Eberflus after last season -instead of pairing his prized quarterback with a Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan/Andy Reid type of head coach who could nurture the quarterback and the offense.
That sure seemed like the right move -considering the circumstances, even if a little unfair to Eberflus after a teardown/-rebuild in 2022-23. But whether he was asked about Jim Harbaugh (“He’s the coach at Michigan”) or hiring any offensive-minded head coach, Poles saw something in Eberflus that others did not.
“I really think the head coach needs to be able to captain the ship when the seas are stormy and really keep everything settled,” Poles said after last season. “When you go through hard times and he can keep everyone together, to me that’s a critical piece.
“In a big market like this, you have to be strong. If he’s jumping off the boat and -everyone else starts jumping off the boat, it’s a hot mess.”
Well, the Bears are a hot mess today. And the most ominous storms are just beginning — six games against the Lions, Packers and Vikings, plus one against the 49ers in the next eight games.
Keeping everyone together — which is no sure thing — won’t save Eberflus this time. Poles will get another chance if it comes to that. He has earned it. But the clock will be ticking on him, if it isn’t already