Why is Bears GM Ryan Poles excited? 'The group of guys, it's really special'

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles didn’t have any waiver claims on Wednesday, two years after claiming six players to the roster.

He even had one player claimed elsewhere — undrafted rookie tight end Brenden Bates is headed to the New York Jets.

And the Bears were still able to keep some preseason superstars on the practice squad, including cornerback Reddy Steward and linebacker Micah Baskerville.

Those things are usually the sign of a deep and healthy roster. The turnover has been striking since Poles’ first season in Chicago, setting up the anticipation for the 2024 season.

“I’m proud of the process that we’ve set up,” Poles said. “It’s not just about acquiring the best talent, it’s about acquiring the right talent. I think that’s what you see in this building. It’s special. The group of guys, it’s really special.”

Poles spoke Wednesday after the team’s wave of transactions to set a 53-man roster — for now — 11 days ahead of the opener.

Jahns: We’ll get to Caleb Williams. Poles said plenty about him. But it was interesting to hear Poles relay some of the conversations he’s had with players over the past few days during the roster cutdown. Players want to be here. Players sense something coming together.

“They’re like, ‘Man, I just wanna be here. I can feel it. I want to be a part of this thing,’” Poles said. “I always look at it and I’m excited about it, but when you hear from people inside the building but also outside, it makes you feel really good about the progress that you made.”

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This isn’t some overly optimistic form of GM speak, either. Poles is expressing sentiments shared by players, coaches, the front office and even former critics outside of Halas Hall. It’s a vibe felt through “Hard Knocks.” Something is different about the 2024 version of Bears. I’m not saying they’re going to win the Super Bowl. But they’re a better team with potentially a great quarterback.

Fishbain: We’ve heard it from players, too, and you can feel it in the building. Now, this is always a time for optimism around the league, and we’ve seen that here at times, too. But this does feel different. I think you’ve also seen it on “Hard Knocks.” The quarterback? He’s part of it, too. “It’s fairly natural,” Poles said. “It’s not forced. … We’ve all been in teams before, but there’s people that come into those situations and they try too hard. It’s like, man, it’s awkward. It’s hard to buy into that. Then there’s guys that can navigate that so naturally because they’re authentic and it’s real, and that’s what he’s done.”

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Jahns: Williams also played well in training camp. He started to pass the daily tests that the Bears defense was providing, from cornerback Jaylon Johnson’s coverage in the secondary to a full onslaught of blitz packages.

Poles was asked what he expects from Williams this season. His answer was similar to what coach Matt Eberflus said earlier in the day. The Bears want him to play within the offense — to be a point guard with great playmakers all around.

When the time is right, though, “that’s when you do the special,” Poles said. It’s a balancing act. But Williams is learning how to walk that tightrope.

Fishbain: What is going to help Williams most is a bona fide offensive line. Poles countered a question about the depth of the group by saying it’s the deepest O-line since he’s been GM here. He also pointed out, in response to a question about resources, that the Bears used a top-10 pick on Darnell Wright, traded for Ryan Bates and paid big for Nate Davis, who he said “obviously needs to continue to work on his dependability and his consistency.” I was interested to hear Poles’ take on Coleman Shelton, who is in line to start at center in Week 1 after being the presumed backup when he signed in March. “Coleman Shelton’s been a great addition,” Poles said. “He’s a glue guy for us up front. His ability to get everybody on the same page and execute at a high level has been really good.” This group has question marks but also potential.

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Jahns: Maybe some of Poles’ optimism about the line is rooted in the past. His current group is definitely the best line he’s been able to put together in his three seasons as the Bears’ GM. It’s also the best receivers group he’s had in his tenure with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze.

The bulk of the conversation with Poles focused on Williams and the offense. But the defense that Eberflus runs still will be the strength of the team, particularly in the early going. Poles happily praised what Eberflus has become as the Bears’ head coach.

Fishbain: We know how pleased Poles was with Eberflus’ ability to “steady the ship” last season. But that resilience has carried over into what Poles has observed on a team that now boasts a lot more talent. “I really look at the resilience piece of it,” he said. “It’s so hard, with pressure, to stay the course. … When there’s a lot of noise about doing different things and changes and all that, to hold the line, it takes a special man to do that. And he has done that.”

Remember that scene from the first episode of “Hard Knocks” at Eberflus’ house? That’s not for show, or the TV show, Poles said. And it’s part of why he has so much confidence in his head coach.

“He has had every single person on our team over at his house,” Poles said. “They spend time there, to get to know him better. There are activities that he did, and that was done intentionally. It wasn’t just to do it and check a box. It was to really invest in our players and build that trust because you need that.”