Why Ryan Poles’ Trade With Carolina Was Masterful

Ryan Poles basically called his shot last week when he told people the chances were good the Chicago Bears would trade the #1 overall pick. Rumors began to explode in the following days. It became clear teams were desperate to secure that spot for one of the top quarterbacks. In the end, it was the Carolina Panthers that won the race. They reached an agreement with Poles for a massive package. It marked the first time in modern NFL history that a deal for a top 5 pick had taken place before the start of free agency.

After having some time to digest what happened, one thing has become clear. Poles’ execution of this deal was masterful. Time will tell if he ends up landing good players, but the makeup of the deal itself is something special. Let’s start with the draft compensation.

Ryan Poles created maximum flexibility for the next three years.

Start with 2023. The addition of the Panthers’ 61st overall pick now gives the Bears three picks clustered around the bottom of the 2nd and top of the 3rd rounds. That not only gives Poles good position to nab multiple talented players, but he can also flip one of them to procure picks later in the draft, such as the 4th or 5th rounds. He could also package two of them together to move up for a player he may covet.

Then there is the 1st rounder in 2024. That means Chicago will have two 1st round picks that year. The possibilities are near infinite. Poles could land two high-quality players. He could also package them in a move up for a quarterback if Justin Fields doesn’t take a step forward next season or go after one of the premier players, such as Marvin Harrison Jr. Finally, there is the 2nd rounder in 2025. The Bears have at least three picks in the first two rounds of the next three drafts. That is a monumental opportunity to stack talent.

D.J. Moore’s acquisition wins on multiple fronts.

Start with the talent itself. Moore has averaged over 1,000 yards for the past four seasons in Carolina. That came despite considerable quarterback problems with an ailing Cam Newton, erratic Sam Darnold, and regressing Baker Mayfield. That tells you he can be productive in less-than-ideal circumstances. He’s a sharp route-runner with good speed, making him a natural fit for a gifted deeper thrower like Fields. Ryan Poles understood the strengths of his quarterback and planned accordingly.

Then there is the how the GM played the market. Everybody agreed going into 2023 that it was a bad year for wide receivers. Free agency lacks any viable options outside of solid role players. The draft isn’t much better, with few names considered worthy of going in the 1st round. So Poles was proactive in the trade market. He secured Chase Claypool last October. Now he adds Moore. That gives the Bears two proven pass targets who are still in their prime.

To top it off, Moore has three years left on his contract at $17.4 million per year. That will look like chump change not too long from now as other top receivers start getting extensions. Carolina reportedly didn’t want to give Moore up. Poles refused to budge unless they did. They caved. Now the Bears have a talented threesome of Moore, Claypool, and Darnell Mooney.

They are free to do what Poles has wanted all along. Build the trenches.