Ryan Poles Had Interesting Unprompted Comments On Justin Fields

Say this for Ryan Poles. The guy isn’t afraid to stand in front of the cameras and take the hits. He’s made that clear multiple times already this season, first after the Roquan Smith trade request and now in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Hours before the Chicago Bears were set to face the New England Patriots, he appeared in the press box to meet with the media, hoping to update them on his thoughts on where the team is at and where it’s going.

Of course, every discussion will come around to Justin Fields. He is the singular focus of every fan and media member. Poles isn’t ignorant of that fact. That’s why he offered his thoughts on the young quarterback even before he started taking questions. His comments were interesting, to say the least. The GM believes Fields has shown encouraging growth in recent weeks. Yes, that hasn’t always shown up in the stat sheet, but it’s been noticeable at times.

Poles believes the play around him (i.e., the offensive line and receivers) need to improve. At the same time, Fields has to quicken his processing and decision-making.

Ryan Poles offered a reasonable assessment.

Many people will laugh at him for being positive about how Fields has played. The truth is he isn’t the only one. Others inside and outside the locker room have stated the same. They see signs of growth. The problem is it isn’t happening fast enough. He’s still making too many of the same mistakes that have dogged him since his rookie year. Porous protection and inconsistent receivers make that an even greater challenge.

It sounds like Ryan Poles isn’t rushing any decisions on Fields. He is content to let the young quarterback keep learning for the rest of this season. No comments indicated future plans, one way or the other. The organization remains firmly behind its quarterback. That isn’t a surprise. Any GM with common sense will do that. Much of what happens in the next few months will depend on if Fields make any progress.

Poles clearly has designs on improving the entire offense. What he needs to know is how high a quarterback is on that list.