Four Players Meet The Ryan Poles Checklist For Trade Deadline Targets
Ryan Poles has spent three years at the helm of the Chicago Bears. He has gotten the team to a 4-2 record, their best start in over a decade. Talent is emerging on both sides of the ball, especially young quarterback Caleb Williams. One key part of this turnaround is his willingness to be aggressive on the trade market. That includes the midseason deadline. He has done it twice already in his tenure, and there is no reason to think the GM won’t consider doing so again. In fact, the available information offers a checklist of things that paint a picture of how Poles will approach the next couple of weeks.
1. He targets players with long-term value
Poles isn’t interested in short-term rentals. He aims to find guys who can help the team immediately and, if possible, a few seasons down the road. That was the thinking behind acquiring Chase Claypool (25) and Montez Sweat (27). Claypool didn’t work out for obvious reasons, but Sweat has become a force on the defensive line. He is locked in for the next four years thanks to a quick extension.
2. He isn’t afraid to deal Day 2 picks
Claypool and Sweat each cost a 2nd round pick to acquire for the Bears. Poles also made a run at Matthew Judon before the season began. Word is he was ready to give up a 3rd round pick in exchange. This offers a clear indication that Poles isn’t afraid to deal high picks but stops short of venturing into the 1st round range.
3. He usually targets new GMs or ones on the hot seat
This is the most intricate part of his strategy. Ryan Poles plays the game like a general on the battlefield, seeking enemies with weak leadership. When he traded for Claypool, Omar Khan had just taken over as Pittsburgh’s GM that year. The now iconic Bryce Young trade with Carolina involved Scott Fitterer, who was under a ton of heat thanks to overbearing owner David Tepper. The Sweat trade was with Washington, who’d just changed ownership and was clearly planning a total organizational reboot.
These names check Ryan Poles’ boxes.
Travon Walker (EDGE)
The former #1 overall pick got off to a slow start in his career but has really turned up the juice with 16 sacks since the start of 2023. He’s still only 23 years old, meaning his best years are ahead. Jacksonville, though, is in a bad spot. They’re 2-5 and teetering on the edge. Their head coach is on the hot seat and GM Trent Baalke is also under the microscope. They already paid Josh Hines-Allen a massive new contract. Are they prepared to do the same with Walker, especially after handing Trevor Lawrence $55 million per year?
Azeez Ojulari (EDGE)
Trading for Brian Burns and having to pay Kayvon Thibodeaux leaves the New York Giants in a tough spot. There is no way they can also pay Ojulari, who has six sacks in his last eight games. He’s only 24 years old and isn’t a terrible run defender despite his 6’3, 240 lbs frame. GM Joe Schoen’s seat is heating up as the Giants plummet toward another lost season. He will probably seek draft capital to prepare a run at a quarterback next off-season.
Dylan Parham (OG)
Offensive guard remains a problem for the Bears. They need to find stability there after Nate Davis flamed out. Parham has quietly become one of the most dependable players at that position. He’s allowed only seven pressures this season in Las Vegas and has a 74.4 run-blocking grade. The Raiders seem on the cusp of a major organizational shift under new GM Tom Telesco. He didn’t draft Parham and may not want to pay him a big new contract, seeking draft capital via trade instead.
Ikem Ekwonu (OT)
Is left tackle settled? Some will argue yes with Braxton Jones. Others believe he hasn’t taken the step forward many hoped. There is room for growth at that position. Ekwonu struggled last season in Carolina but seems to have matured, allowing only 14 pressures in seven games and posting an 80.4 run-blocking grade. The Panthers have already shown a willingness to unload quality players needing new contracts. This is a no-brainer if new GM Dan Morgan is under the same pressure as Fitterer.