It Didn't Take Long For Jalen Carter To Justify Bears' Decision To Pass On Him

Everybody called the Chicago Bears crazy for passing on Jalen Carter when the Georgia defensive tackle fell to them in the 1st round. He was so talented and a perfect fit for their defense. Yet not only did GM Ryan Poles refuse to pull the trigger, but he also traded down with Philadelphia to let the Eagles do so instead. That was a clear indication that the Bears never intended to take Carter. Reports since the draft ended have revealed how wary NFL teams had become of his off-the-field character. It wasn't just his involvement in a street race that got two people killed. It was his reputation for being lazy in practice and a lack of passion for football in general.

Poles told the media, without mentioning Carter directly, that the organization placed a high value on character. Once the defensive tackle quit at his pro day due to fatigue, that was the final nail in his coffin. The Eagles could afford to take the gamble, and the Bears wouldn't lose much sleep over the decision. It turns out Poles is already looking smarter than ever for dodging that bullet. Barely a week after the draft ended, Carter posted a video on social media showing him repping the notorious Bloods street gang.

For those who don't know, this is a terrible look for Jalen Carter.

Representing the colors of any street gang is bad enough for an NFL player, but to do so of one of the most notoriously violent of the past 50 years is even worse. The Bloods were born in the 1970s to counter the rapidly growing Crips gang in Los Angeles. The Crips were known for wearing blue colors as identifiers, so the Bloods began wearing red in response, particularly bandanas. Since then, the two gangs have engaged in years and years of violent conflict, resulting in estimates of anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 deaths.

Not exactly a group of people you want to be seen associating with. This isn't the first time an NFL player has been found associating with gangs. Several of them come from poorer backgrounds. Gang affiliation is often inevitable in such situations. The problem is many of them fail to leave that life behind once they turn professional, and it rarely goes well in those situations. Jalen Carter continues to show immaturity and a lack of common sense with his actions. All the while, Poles keeps looking better.