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Ryan Poles discusses Caleb Williams vs. Jayden Daniels, offensive line, more

Ryan Poles discusses Caleb Williams vs. Jayden Daniels, offensive line, more

We're only five games into the Caleb Williams era in Chicago, but it's “so far, so good” for the Bears' rookie quarterback. At least that's the vibe I'm getting from Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles.

The Bears' top football executive spoke to the media earlier this week as the team prepared to play the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. And while he touched on a few topics, what particularly stood out to me was what Poles had to say about the quarterback's growth and progress:

“I think he's learning how to play professional football, and when I say that, that means having a winning mentality in terms of, 'What does it take to win football games from the quarterback position?'” Poles said via the team's official website. “And you saw that in terms of efficiency, protecting the football and taking what he was given. And then as we go into this final game, explosives are now starting to appear. That's why I really like his progress. I love the work ethic and time he puts in, the courage and tenacity, the ability to bounce back after difficult games. He’s exactly where he should be and he’s only getting better.”

When it comes to Ryan Poles' comments about Caleb Williams, I won't disagree with you. It wasn't always pretty. However, QB1 has made strides in throwing efficiently and protecting the football. Now that he's done that, I'm ready to see Williams bust it out for more chunk plays. Yes, I know Bears head coach Matt Eberflus gives the impression he wants to get close. And it annoys me just as much as it annoys you. But I bet he would love it if his quarterback applied a little more pressure. Wouldn't we all do that?

carries QB Caleb Williamscarries QB Caleb Williams
© Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

More notable quotes from Bears general manager Ryan Poles

More from the Bears GM around the clock…

  • I liked this quote (h/t The Athletic) from Ryan Poles about the Caleb Williams-Jayden Daniels narrative: “The human side of it is you want your guy to just take off and roll, but everyone’s journey is going to be different I think the most important thing is that Caleb understands that too and runs his own race, and he's done that well by just focusing on how I can get better and how I can empower our team can win games.”
  • On a side note, wouldn't it be something if the NFL and its television partners could come to an agreement that moves the Bears-Commanders game into prime time in Week 8? Come on, NFL. You know what to do!

    Ryan Poles Bears Mock Draft Soldier FieldRyan Poles Bears Mock Draft Soldier Field
    Bears general manager Ryan Poles | Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
  • On offensive line depth (via the Chicago Tribune):
  • “This came up. And you have guys like Pryor who are looking for opportunities, and they've gotten in there and done a really good job. With Caleb (Williams) really making sure he has the depth. He was able to place the pocket and get some movement in the running game, so we were happy with that.

    This is part of building a roster. That's my job and my front office's job, to provide competition, and I think Matt's done a really good job and Nate has some things he can continue to work on. Again, the depth is there and as this season progresses there will be some things that happen and injuries, so we have to prepare everyone to stay ready.”

  • Ryan Poles had a lot of O-line depth for the Bears earlier this season. And while I understand there were some skeptics, it appears his preseason assumptions were correct. It took some time for this depth to emerge and prove useful. But maybe this is one of those “better late than never” situations.
  • Praise from Ryan Poles for OC Shane Waldron (via the Bears' official website): “From scouting to coaching, we all have these philosophies, but at the end of the day it's about the players and putting them in a position to be to be this.” successful. So I just want to find out where Caleb is in his process. Do we need to slow it down? Do we need to speed it up? Do we have to make decisions such as: B. a no-huddle situation and a tempo situation so that he gets into a rhythm? Increase cadence, different things like that. His ability to adapt on the fly has been impressive throughout our time.”
  • For more from Bears GM Ryan Poles, check out the videos below:

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