How Ryan Poles Quietly Fixed A Big Hole In The Bears Offense
Ryan Poles went into the 2023 off-season with a clear objective. Yes, he wanted to improve the Chicago Bears roster in its entirety. However, quarterback Justin Fields had to come first. He was the key to a faster turnaround for the organization. Making life easier for the quarterback usually means more wins. That meant two key objectives. The Bears GM had to find him better protection and better weapons. Nobody can say he didn’t work hard at both. Nate Davis and Darnell Wright came in to improve the line. D.J. Moore, Robert Tonyan, and Tyler Scott arrived to create more options in the passing game.
Poles did good work, but people missed two of his most important moves. One of the persistent problems that plagued the Bears offense last year was how lacking their running backs were in the passing game. David Montgomery was their only viable option, and it’s never been his strength. Khalil Herbert is a liability. As a result, Fields didn’t use them much in the passing game. Here is the percentage of targets to running backs for the Bears compared to other teams that use a similar offensive scheme.
- 49ers – 21.82%
- Packers – 21.48%
- Dolphins – 20.10%
- Jets – 21.42%
- Bears – 16.99%
It’s pretty evident they didn’t have that dimension available. Poles may have changed that with two moves, first by signing veteran Travis Homer and then by drafting Roschon Johnson. Aside from both being capable runners and special teams aces, they also share an additional trait. They can catch the ball.
Ryan Poles got what he needed at a bargain price.
Johnson made 56 catches during college for 420 yards and three touchdowns. That was despite being a backup the entire time. Homer had 32 catches for 318 yards and a touchdown in Seattle over the past two years. This was despite playing barely over 300 snaps combined in 24 games. Poles understands that both players have far more to offer than their limited playing times showed last season. Herbert won’t get many looks. We know that. The same goes for D’Onta Foreman. He’s never been a receiving threat in his career.
That means you can expect to see Johnson or Homer frequently in passing situations. If they play up to their capabilities, Fields will have strong outlets if his initial options on a play aren’t available. It’s all about giving the quarterback good alternatives. If you can dump it off to the running back who can get a 1st down on a three-yard check-down pass, that is a huge win for the offense. It also creates additional headaches for the defense. Kudos to Ryan Poles for piecing this together.