Ryan Poles
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Revisiting Every Bears Trade Ryan Poles Has Made

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterSeptember 30, 2024

The Bears will host the Panthers this Sunday, and because a trade ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft changed the trajectories of both organizations, let’s revisit each of the 20 trades GM Ryan Poles has made since replacing Ryan Pace three years ago.

  • August 24, 2024: Poles acquired DT Chris Williams from the Browns and a 7th-round pick in 2025 for a 6th-round pick next year. Williams was listed as a fifth-string defensive tackle on Cleveland’s depth chart and was considered a long shot to make their roster. In his final preseason game with the Browns, Williams had two sacks, including one that led to a safety. The pick that Chicago gave to Cleveland was originally acquired in a trade that sent wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Dolphins. The Bears now have seven draft selections in 2025: a first, two seconds (one from Carolina), a third, a fifth, a sixth (via Pittsburgh), and a seventh (via Cleveland).
  • August 23, 2024: The Bears sent the Seahawks a 2025 6th-round pick for edge rusher Darrell Taylor. Taylor totaled 21.5 sacks in 49 career games with Seattle. He also registered 13 starts. Taylor has 11 tackles, including two sacks and two TFLs this season.
  • April 27, 2024: The Bears selected Kansas EDGE rusher Austin Booker in Round 5 of the 2024 NFL Draft with the No. 144 overall pick (via a trade with the Bills). Buffalo received Chicago’s 4th-round pick in 2025. Booker might have been a 1st or 2nd-round pick had he stayed at Kansas for another year.
  • March 15, 2024: The Chargers traded WR Keenan Allen to the Bears for a 2024 4th-round pick. Los Angeles selected DL Justin Eboigbe of Alabama with that pick. The 31-year-old Allen was viewed as a steal, coming off the best season of his career. Allen finished sixth in the NFL in receptions (108) and 11th in receiving yards (1,243). Eboigbe has yet to play a single down for the Chargers. Despite his preseason hype, he can’t even get in uniform, let alone on the field. Allen and Caleb Williams are still lacking on-field chemistry, but give it time.
  • March 4, 2024: Chicago acquired OL Ryan Bates from the Bills for a 5th-round pick in the 2024 draft. Bates spent five seasons in Buffalo, appearing in 73 games and making 19 starts. In 2023, he played 17 games but did not make a start. Chicago placed Bates on injured reserve and he’s eligible to return for the Week 6 game in London against the Jaguars. The draft pick originally belonged to the Panthers, and Buffalo used it to select OL Sedrick Van Pran-Granger of Georgia. The rookie is second on the depth chart at center to Connor McGovern.
  • October 31, 2023: Chicago acquired DE Montez Sweat from Washington for a 2024 2nd-round pick. Montez led the Bears and Commanders in sacks last season. He also revitalized a defensive unit that led the NFL in takeaways. Chicago’s front four registered seven sacks in 2022. Sweat has six sacks, four TFLs, and one forced fumble in nine games after the trade.

  • April 29, 2023: Poles traded down 12 spots in the 4th round of the draft and selected Texas running back Roschon Johnson at No. 115. He also acquired a 5th-round pick from the Saints that the Bears spent on Minnesota cornerback Terell Smith at No. 165. New Orleans chose Old Dominion tackle Nick Saldiveri at No. 103. Johnson backs up D’Andre Swift while Smith is an understudy to Tyrique Stevenson. The Saints moved Saldiveri to guard and he is an anchor on a line that has exceeded expectations thus far.
  • April 28, 2023: The Bears moved up five spots in the 2nd round and selected Stevenson at No. 56, dealing two picks to the Jaguars, who chose Penn State tight end Brenton Strange at No. 61 and Louisville outside linebacker Yasir Abdullah at No. 136. Stevenson is arguably Chicago’s best pick in that draft and this year has 20 tackles. He also has three passes defended with a pick-six that won Chicago’s first game of the season. Strange has eight receptions and a score for Jacksonville this year, while Abdullah is a second-string SAM with 10 total tackles.
  • April 27, 2023: The Bears traded down from No. 9 to 10 in the first round and selected Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright, acquiring a 2024 fourth-round pick from the Eagles, who chose Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter at No. 9. The Bears selected punter Tory Taylor with the extra pick. Carter and Taylor are future All-Pros, while Wright is Chicago’s best blocker.
  • March 16, 2024:  The Bears agreed to trade Justin Fields to the Steelers for a conditional 2025 draft pick. Fields is 3-1 as a starter with Pittsburgh and will net Chicago a 4th-round pick if he remains QB1.
  • March 15, 2023: Poles wanted a “Godfather haul” for the top pick in the 2023 draft, and the Panthers acquiesced. To recap the trade, the Bears sent the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft to Carolina in exchange for receiver D.J. Moore and selections in the first (No. 9) and second rounds (No. 61) in 2023, a 2024 first-round choice that turned out to be Williams and a 2025 second-round selection. That means the Bears essentially got Moore, Stevenson, Wright, Williams, Taylor, and one remaining pick for Bryce Young. Ex-Bear QB Andy Dalton replaced Young as Carolina’s starter in Week 3. Moore signed an extension with the Bears this offseason. He led Chicago with 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. He also rushed for another score.

  • November 1, 2022: The Bears acquired Claypool from the Steelers for their 2nd round pick in 2023, No. 32 overall. Claypool washed out in Chicago, while Pittsburgh selected CB Joey Porter Jr., and he’s one of their best defensive backs.
  • November 1, 2022: The Bears and Ravens agreed on a trade that sent LB Roquan Smith to Baltimore. Chicago received two draft picks and LB A.J. Smith. Those picks turned into DT Gervon Dexter and LB Noah Sewell, but Poles also saved enough money to sign T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds.
  • October 26, 2022: DE Robert Quinn was traded to the Eagles for a 2023 4th-round selection that was used to draft WR Tyler Scott. Quinn was Chicago’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 but was a non-factor for the Eagles in ’22. Philadelphia replaced him with Carter.
  • July 13, 2022: The Bears acquired WR N’Keal Harry from the Patriots for a 2024 7th-round choice. New England chose TE Jaheim Bell of Florida State. He’s third on the depth chart behind Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper.
  • April 30, 2022: The Bears traded a 2023 6th-round selection to the Chargers for two 7th-round picks. Chicago then chose California safety Elijah Hicks at No. 254 and North Carolina State punter Trenton Gill at No. 255. The Chargers took Boise State tackle Scott Matlock at No. 200.
  • April 30, 2022: Poles moved down 20 spots in the 5th round to draft Southern Utah OL Braxton Jones at No. 168, acquiring a 6th-round pick from the Bills. The GM then chose Baylor RB Trestan Ebner at No. 203. Buffalo selected Boise State WR Khalil Shakir at No. 148.
  • April 30, 2022: Poles also moved down 16 spots in the 5th round to No. 166, acquiring a 6th-round selection from the Texans that the Bears spent on Illinois center Doug Kramer at No. 207. Houston took Stanford defensive tackle Thomas Booker at No. 150.
  • April 30, 2022: The Bears traded down in the 5th round again, acquiring a 7th-round choice from the Bengals. Chicago then selected Southern guard Ja’Tyre Carter at No. 226. The Bears also drafted Miami (Ohio) defensive end Dominique Robinson at No. 174, while Cincinnati selected Toledo safety Tycen Anderson at No. 166.
  • March 15, 2022: The Bears and Chargers agreed on a trade for OLB Khalil Mack. Chicago received a 2022 2nd-round pick and selected Penn State S Jaquan Brisker. The Bears also received a 2023 6th-round choice in the deal. They traded that pick back to the Chargers on Day 3 of the 2022 draft (see above).

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterSeptember 30, 2024
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