The Chicago Bears had the worst record in the NFL last season. What made it so fascinating is it didn't feel like they were genuinely the worst team in the league while it happened. So many games were decided by single digits. They just couldn't close things out for one reason or another. Few felt the pain of losing more than GM Ryan Poles. People will say everything was by design. He deliberately gutted the roster to tank for a high draft choice. Nobody can prove that, but one thing is clear. Poles broke multiple trash cans as the losses piled up. So he didn't enjoy it.
Most people have measured their expectations for the Bears this season carefully. After a whirlwind off-season, the roster looks stronger from top to bottom. They drastically improved their size and power on the defensive line while adding two excellent linebackers. Their secondary depth got even better thanks to Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith, and Kendall Williamson. D.J. Moore and Tyler Scott bring more juice to the wide receiver room, while Darnell Wright and Nate Davis fortify their beleaguered offensive line. This array of newcomers has many thinking the Bears can flirt with a winning record in 2023. Not Poles. He told Jim Trotter of The Athletic in no uncertain terms.
He expects this team to take the north.
Poles, who believes the Bears should contend for the NFC North title this season, knows the team has yet to arrive. But he also says last season seems like a distant memory because the vibe within the locker room is so different.
“It’s not even close,” he says. “This is a different group; practice, meetings, the weight room. I feel like a family is starting to come together, even with the rookie class just showing up this past week. There’s just a different feeling.”
Ryan Poles believes in his team.
He understands how close they were to winning several games last season. Now they have more talent in place. If that weren't enough, the rest of the division looks less daunting. Aaron Rodgers is gone from Green Bay. Minnesota traded one of their best pass rushers and will likely cut their star running back in the near future. Only Detroit looks like a tough hurdle to clear. They swept Chicago last season, highlighted by a brutal 41-10 beatdown at Ford Field. Their own rebuild appears complete.
It doesn't matter. Ryan Poles believes in his approach. The Bears are a much younger, much deeper, and much mentally tougher team than last year. He trusts the culture he and head coach Matt Eberflus have fostered. This is a group of players built on hustle, intensity, and intelligence. Every opponent will be in for a 60-minute war. Don't expect this team to quit first. The rebuild might not be complete yet, but the expectations remain high. It's time to think about fulfilling the next phase of the mission. Win the division.
