Ryan Poles Draft Pick Is Close To A Bears Franchise Record

It's been hard to find positives for the Chicago Bears this season. Rebuilding is never easy. It comes with lots of losing early on. At 3-13, this has been one of the toughest years for this fanbase. That said, they can take solace in one thing. New GM Ryan Poles might be pretty good at drafting. His 2022 rookie class has looked really good this year. Kyler Gordon has three interceptions. Jaquan Brisker leads the team with four sacks. Velus Jones is an emerging kick return threat. Braxton Jones has started every game at left tackle. Undrafted free agent Jack Sanborn looked like a solid middle linebacker, and Josh Blackwell is already a special teams ace.

It apparently doesn't end there. People have forgotten about punter Trenton Gill. The 7th round pick was up and down through most of 2022, but it appears he's found a groove over the past three weeks. His net yards per punt in that span are 41.8, and seven of his 17 kicks have been downed inside the 20-yard line. For context, his average net yardage over the previous 13 games was 39.1, and he had 11 downed inside the 20. Now according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, he's closing in on a franchise record.

"He’s in position to become only the third Bears punter to finish a season with a net average above 40 yards. Gill can set a franchise mark with a big game against the Vikings. He raised his net average to 40.5 yards with a season-high seven punts against the Lions. Pat O’Donnell (40.7 in 2019) has the mark to beat, and Adam Podlesh finished at 40.4 in 2011."

Ryan Poles deserves credit for this class.

It's too early to say whether it'll produce any stars. However, it's evident the Bears GM accomplished the primary goal. Anybody will tell you the mission of every draft is to secure two or three starting-caliber players. Poles appears to have gotten four with Gordon, Brisker, Jones, and Gill. Keep in mind this wasn't a situation that was spoon-fed to him by the previous regime. Ryan Pace left the team with five draft picks when he got fired, including no 1st rounder. Poles, through trades, increased that to 11. Three of those names listed above, including Gill, were direct results of those trades.

Now the real fun begins. Ryan Poles is one game away from holding at least the #2 pick in the 2023 draft. If the Bears lose and Houston wins next Sunday, it will become the #1 pick. There is no telling what this GM will do in that situation. We already know he likes to trade and isn't afraid to move down. Would he auction either of those picks to the highest bidder looking for a QB? That is what fans are eager to find out. Examples like Gill offer hope he'll be able to take advantage.