Draft Insider Reveals Why Ryan Poles Is So Set On Taking His QB Now

There are two schools of thought surrounding the Chicago Bears quarterback decision this off-season. One section of fans and media believe the team should stick with Justin Fields. Use the resources available to build around him. The other side says it’s time to trade Fields and take the best quarterback at #1 overall. Based on every report from top insiders over the past week, it sounds like GM Ryan Poles is committed to the latter. While he loves the work Fields has put in, an opportunity to reset the QB clock with a player of his choice is too good to pass up.

Except it isn’t always that simple. There could be another reason why he’s choosing such a course now. Good general managers don’t solely focus on a draft class in the current year. They often have an eye on the next two or three draft classes in the future. That includes the quarterbacks. Part of Poles’ decision to take one now might be driven by what he’s seeing in 2025. That is what NFL Network draft insider Daniel Jeremiah stated. By his estimates, next year could be a rough one at the quarterback position.

I believe we'll see 4-5 teams look into moving up for a QB over the next few months. Teams aren't excited about next year's QB class.

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) February 10, 2024

This is a key point. And part of the reason we'll see several teams aggressively QB-hunting in the 1st round.

Could a QB emerge next year (like Jayden Daniels did)? Sure. But right now, next year's QB class is looking very underwhelming. https://t.co/nu1opYRUWG

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) February 11, 2024

Ryan Poles understands he can’t delay the decision any longer.

Perhaps if the 2025 class had more options he could be excited about, he’d be willing to entertain the idea of keeping Fields and trading down again. That doesn’t appear to be the case. Shedeur Sanders, Quinn Ewers, and Carson Beck appear to be the top three options going into next year. Maybe one of them takes a big step forward into that elite territory. Yet even if they do, there is no guarantee the Bears would have a high enough pick next year to even have the option of drafting them. Teams don’t get an opportunity to pick first in the draft too often.

One mistake previous Bears GMs made was not pouncing on quarterbacks high in the draft in years past. They passed on Drew Brees in 2001, opting to stick with Jim Miller. In 2005, they felt keeping Rex Grossman was a better bet than taking Aaron Rodgers with the 4th pick. Everybody remembers they almost drafted Joe Montana in 1979 before taking a backup running back instead. Ryan Poles doesn’t want to fall into that same trap of maintaining the status quo. It’s a 3-1 count. He knows a fastball is coming. It is time to take his swing.