Ryan Poles Strategy For Draft Trades Was Revealed And Is So Innovative

Ryan Poles has now conducted two drafts for the Chicago Bears in his time as GM. Between those two drafts, he has engineered seven trades up and down the board while the selection process is active. It's hard to imagine how a man can work the phone with such blistering speed without losing his mind. People have said Poles is smart, but his brain must work at levels nobody can imagine. Except it isn't nearly as complicated as people may think. Poles understands the value of keeping a clear head during the draft.

To do this, the smart way to operate is by taking some of the responsibilities off his own plate so he can focus on the big picture. One way he does this, according to Larry Mayer of Chicagobears.com, is by delegating trade calls to his fellow front office members. That deal with Philadelphia to move down from #9 to #10? Assistant GM Ian Cunningham engineered it. The process of these moves is kept surprisingly simple. Other guys take calls, listen to offers, and then post those offers on the Bears' draft screen.

Poles looks them over and then makes a decision.

Poles detailed how the Bears consider potential trades in the draft room, revealing that there's a square at the top of a video screen where members of his staff list the terms of possible deals.

"They're either receiving calls and putting up the trade [offer] where I can see the value or they're actively pursuing trades to see what makes sense for us," Poles said. "If there are a lot of players in a certain bucket, we might look to move down because we know there's a good chance we're going to get a player at a certain value if we move down. The number of players on the board tells you how far down you can go because you don't want to go too far down where you miss a player."

Ryan Poles continues to demonstrate great preparation skills.

The man is detail-oriented in everything he does. Not only does he want all the information possible on draft prospects, but he also wants to employ a system that helps streamline possible trades. It helps to explain why the Bears are so decisive with their moves. It never feels like they're struggling with the clock. Poles gets the trade offer, decides if he wants to accept or negotiate, and then makes a decision. It requires a lot of trust in his subordinates. Another sign that the Bears GM has established a strong culture.

His work in the 2023 draft felt like a net gain. He moved down with Philadelphia for a 4th in 2024. In the 2nd round, he moved up from #61 to #56, giving Jacksonville a 5th round pick. Then to start the 4th round, he swung another deal with New Orleans to get that 5th rounder back. Thus he still made ten picks in this draft and stashed an extra one for next year, all while getting the players he wanted. Time will tell if his decision bear fruit, but it's clear Ryan Poles has a good process.