Ryan Poles Reportedly Aims To Trade #1 Pick Before Free Agency

It feels like a foregone conclusion at this point. The Chicago Bears have the #1 pick. They also have one of the worst rosters in the NFL. They have holes everywhere. It makes perfect sense that if they don't need a quarterback, they should auction that spot off to a team that does. This way, they can collect multiple high picks to accelerate their rebuild. GM Ryan Poles sounds confident he can make a deal. It's a matter of when, not if it happens. What people may not expect is how fast it's coming.

This is where it gets interesting. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog is among the most well-connected local insiders. He appeared on the Irish Bears Show to discuss the situation. Remember, this is the same man who broke the news Ryan Pace was getting fired last year. He must be hearing something. Well, yes, that is the case. He stated that Poles has already received offers for the pick from Carolina and Tennessee. However, the GM wanted to wait until after the combine because expectations were Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson would shine. That would inflate the value of the pick even further.

He was correct. Richardson set records. Now teams view the #1 pick in a new light. Hughes concluded things with the biggest surprise of all. There is a strong belief inside the building that Poles wants to get a deal done before the start of free agency on March 15th.

Ryan Poles seems to want clarity on his position.

That is to say, he wants to have a good idea of where he'll be sitting in the draft. Which players does he have a reasonable shot of landing? The long he waits, the less time he will have to prepare plans for what to do. By trading the pick before free agency, he will be able to take a more surgical approach to the veteran market, knowing what he will likely have waiting for him when the draft begins. It also allows extra time to conduct another trade if he so chooses. The flexibility would be undeniable.

It comes down to which teams make the offer he's looking for. It's already obvious Carolina and Tennessee are interested. Hughes also believes the Indianapolis Colts will be aggressive at some point because their owner Jim Irsay is determined to get a quarterback. Ryan Poles is confident he can get a strong deal. His job is to squeeze as much from it as he possibly can before pulling the trigger.