Ryan Poles is doing a better job than the last two general managers who ran the show in Chicago. He isn’t perfect, but the data proves he’s building a team that can actually compete. Windy City Gridiron breaks down the numbers, and the story’s clear. Poles is drafting players who stick and contribute more often than his predecessors did.
When you look at how he stacks up against other bosses, he looks more like the guys who built winners in Tampa Bay and Philadelphia than the ones who failed here. He’s managed to find value in the picks he gets, even when the team has fewer choices to make. This is a big deal for a franchise that has struggled for decades to get it right in April.
The Numbers Say He Is Winning
The proof is in the tiers of players he’s selected. Poles has grabbed more top-tier picks than anyone except Howie Roseman. He also has more middle-tier picks than any other general manager in the group. This shows he’s consistently finding players who can play. Even with a draft class in 2024 that had very few picks to work with, he kept his quality high.
Per Windy City Gridiron, his first three years look a lot like Roseman’s best work. They both have very few truly bad picks. That’s the kind of consistency the Bears haven’t seen in a long time. It means the front office is finally getting the scouting right. The team isn’t wasting high draft capital on players who don’t make the team.
The Third-Round Problem
All three of the worst results from his draft class come from the third round. This is the most troubling part of the analysis. It creates a valley in the middle of his draft board that fans can’t ignore. The team gets great players early and solid ones later, but the picks in the middle often flop.
This pattern suggests a gap in the evaluation process for players taken right after the first round ends. The team needs to fix how they grade these specific players. If they don’t, the talent gap in the middle of the roster will keep the team from reaching the playoffs. The rest of the draft is fine, but this one area needs a total overhaul.
Looking Ahead for Caleb and the Team
Poles didn’t see his performance drop in his third year, which is a rare thing for a new boss. Most general managers fade after a hot start, but he’s stayed strong. Caleb Williams stands as the sole exception to the pattern where his top results stem from players who fell in the draft. This shows he has a knack for finding value when others miss it.
He’s not unique in how he spreads picks across positions. He drafts linemen, receivers, and corners in a normal way. He’s boring in that sense, but boring is good when it means you’re not making mistakes. The goal is to win, and the stats show he’s moving the team in the right direction.
