Chicago Bears basic supervisor Ryan Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham held a 25-minute information convention Thursday at Halas Hall, addressing the workforce’s latest roster strikes and providing an outlook for the season.
Poles was effusive in his reward for coach Matt Eberflus and the management he has supplied. And he remained each optimistic and life like concerning the state of the workforce. Here are 4 issues we realized from that session.
1. The rigidity that got here with the contract dispute with linebacker Roquan Smith has been pushed apart.
Smith emphasised this week that he had shifted his focus from his agitation in not getting a contract extension to his duties of taking part in at a excessive stage within the Bears protection. Poles burdened Thursday that he, too, was keen to maneuver on from the negotiating battle that resulted in Smith sitting out the primary 15 practices of coaching camp as a part of a “hold-in” protest.
Still, Smith and Poles have a canyon between them in how they’ve assessed the veteran linebacker’s contractual worth. And Poles was requested to elucidate why, in his view, the edges couldn’t construct a bridge towards a compromise. The rookie GM sidestepped the query.
“We’ve shifted gears, and it’s all ball now,” he stated. “So it really doesn’t make sense to go back and go through all that.”
Poles credited Smith for exhibiting a capability to separate his contract discontent from his duties on the sphere. He additionally acknowledged that, after Smith known as the negotiating course of “distasteful” whereas accusing the Bears of not negotiating in good religion, there’s a relationship piece to this that can should be addressed as time passes to assist heal the fracture.
“It’s human nature,” Poles stated. “When things happen and two sides don’t agree on something, it’s going to take a little time to (repair) that. I have a lot of faith that that’s going to happen, and I’m excited for it.”
Poles stated he remained optimistic that Smith and the Bears might have a relationship past 2022.
“First of all, he’s a good player. That’s never changed,” Poles stated. “And he’s a superb dude. I’ve religion that he’s going to have a superb yr and we’ll work on our relationship.
“It’s not even a bad thing either. We’ve all been there, right? You have disagreements and you have to come back together and be teammates. That’s what I expect.”
2. Poles is happy to have move rusher Robert Quinn as a part of the protection.
There has been hypothesis because the spring that the Bears can be aggressive in attempting to commerce Quinn, 32, a Twelfth-year veteran whose age appears to make him a misfit for the workforce’s youth motion.
Early in coaching camp, Quinn dismissed the notion that he was in search of to be traded to a workforce that might contend for a championship faster than the Bears. Poles addressed the matter Thursday.
“I’m a huge fan of Robert Quinn,” Poles stated. “He’s been productive. He’s one of those examples of what Matt (Eberflus) wants to see out of his defense with being relentless, high motor. That’s that guy. He’s another leader in the room who can show the young guys the way.”
But would possibly the Bears’ long-term pursuits be higher suited by attempting to get no matter they will in a commerce for Quinn?
“There’s, I think, a misconception (of what we’re doing.) ‘Tear this down and rebuild it all.’ It’s not that,” Poles stated. “There’s also a feel for the room. How can you make the room better? How can you stay productive and win ballgames? I think he helps us with that.”
3. The Bears claimed broad receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings.
A couple of hours after Poles promised to be “completely relentless” in his pursuit of upgrading the expertise within the broad receivers room, the Bears added Smith-Marsette.
The 2021 fifth-round pick of Iowa had 5 catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns over eight video games final season. That included three catches for 103 yards and a landing towards the Bears within the season finale.
Smith-Marsette additionally had 4 kickoff returns for 83 yards.
“We’re going to be relentless and constantly look for talent,” Poles stated. “We’ll be aggressive when we need to be aggressive and conservative when we need to be conservative. But we’re always looking to get better.”
Poles echoed Eberflus’ feedback that the Bears will regain a few of their injured broad receivers within the week forward. Byron Pringle and Velus Jones Jr. sat out apply Thursday, whereas the Bears positioned N’Keal Harry on injured reserve.
4. Poles will take a look at David Montgomery’s manufacturing and consistency as he weighs a contract extension.
Montgomery is within the closing yr of his rookie contract, so he’ll look to safe his future with the Bears or one other workforce with a robust season. He has rushed for two,808 yards and 21 touchdowns and had 121 catches for 924 yards and three touchdowns.
But Poles stated they may take a look at how Montgomery suits into the Bears’ new offensive scheme below Luke Getsy.
“I love David,” Poles stated. “There’s a different scheme and (it’s) just seeing him approach that. He had a nice start with the preseason game. But really just him fitting into that new scheme, that zone scheme, and just attacking it and being productive and consistent and dependable. That’s what we look for in every player.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com