00:00The Kansas City Chiefs, a team we all know pretty well, just made a big decision. They
00:04placed the franchise tag on one of the best offensive linemen in the game, Trey Smith.
00:12Now, we all had our eyes on him. We thought this is the guy who can help solve the offensive line
00:17issues for the Bears, but just like that, Trey Smith is off the board. The dream of
00:21landing him in free agency is over for the Bears. Or is it? Believe it or not, this could actually
00:29turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Ryan Poles, the Bears general manager. Stick with me
00:34here because I'm about to explain why this setback might be the very thing that helps turn the Bears
00:40into a legitimate contender for the next several years. To really understand why this could be a
00:46blessing, let's first talk about where the Bears were coming into this offseason. For years,
00:50Chicago's offensive line has been a massive weakness. If you watch the Bears on Sundays,
00:54you know how bad it's been. Quarterback Caleb Williams, a highly touted rookie, was sacked a
01:00total of 68 times last season. That's the most in the league. In other words, the Bears offensive
01:06line has been a disaster. It's been the main reason the offense hasn't been able to take off,
01:12and it's something that absolutely needs fixing if the Bears want to see success in the future.
01:17So when free agency was approaching, all eyes were on Trey Smith. He was one of the top interior
01:23offensive linemen in the league. He's been a standout player for the Kansas City Chiefs,
01:27making multiple Pro Bowls and becoming one of the most reliable guards in football.
01:33Smith has been a key part of a Chiefs offensive line that helped them win Super Bowls. He was
01:39the kind of player the Bears needed, someone who could step in and immediately upgrade the line.
01:45It seemed like a no-brainer, right? The Bears had the salary cap space and they had the need.
01:50Bring in Trey Smith, solidify the offensive line, and give Caleb Williams some protection.
01:56But then, out of nowhere, the Chiefs placed the franchise tag on him. For those of you who don't
02:01follow the ins and outs of the NFL salary cap, the franchise tag is essentially a one-year contract
02:08that guarantees a player a huge salary for the season. It's a way for a team to keep a player
02:13from hitting free agency and possibly leaving for another team. It's a huge deal for the Chiefs,
02:19but for the Bears it was a punch in the gut. Or was it? Let's take a step back and really think
02:25about this. Trey Smith would have been an amazing addition to the Bears. There's no denying that.
02:31He would have made an immediate impact on that offensive line and he would have helped protect
02:35Caleb Williams right away. But here's the thing. Signing Trey Smith would have come with a major
02:42price tag. I'm talking about a contract worth well over a hundred million dollars, potentially
02:48locking up a huge portion of the Bears' salary cap. Now, the Bears have a lot of cap space this
02:54offseason. Sixth most in the league, to be exact. But that doesn't mean they can afford to spend it
02:59all on one player, no matter how good he is. A big contract like Smith's could have limited the
03:05Bears' ability to make other moves. They would have been stuck with a major contract that eats up
03:10their cap space, and that could have had long-term consequences. Now that Smith is off the table,
03:16Ryan Poles finds himself in a very interesting situation. With that money no longer tied up in a
03:22massive Smith contract, Poles has the freedom to get creative. He can redistribute that cap space
03:30and use it to address other areas of need, particularly the defensive line. The Bears
03:37have struggled with their pass rush for years. They haven't had a consistent presence on the edge
03:42in a long time, and that's been a huge issue for the defense.
03:46Chicago needs pass rushers who can consistently get to the quarterback and disrupt plays.
03:51Without Trey Smith, Poles now has the ability to go after defensive players like Josh Sweat,
03:56a talented defensive end who's averaged more than eight sacks a season over the last three years.
04:02Sweat could be a huge addition to a defense that desperately needs help getting to the quarterback.
04:07He would give the Bears the kind of pass rusher they've been missing for a long time.
04:11But that's not all. The Bears also need help along the defensive line in general.
04:15They don't have the depth they need, and the unit hasn't been able to generate enough pressure.
04:20This year's draft could give Poles the opportunity to address these issues,
04:24but signing a player like Sweat in free agency would allow him to focus more on
04:28building a balanced roster. The extra cap space could be used to add a few more pieces,
04:33players who can provide depth and be contributors for years to come.
04:37And let's not forget the importance of the draft. Without Trey Smith in free agency,
04:42the Bears will be forced to turn to the draft to address their offensive line issues,
04:47and this is where Poles has a chance to really prove himself.
04:51In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears have the 10th overall pick, which gives them a shot at one of
04:58the top offensive linemen in the class. But it doesn't stop there. The Bears also have two
05:05second-round picks, which means they can go after even more offensive line talent.
05:12Poles needs to use those picks wisely. He needs to find two or even three players who can start
05:18right away and solidify the offensive line for years to come. If he can do that, the Bears will
05:23be in a much better position to protect Caleb Williams and build a successful offense.
05:29Now, let's talk about Ryan Poles as a general manager. He's been in charge of the Bears for
05:33a few years now, and his track record has been a mixed bag. Sure, he's made some solid picks,
05:37like Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon, who are both starters on the defense,
05:42but when you look at his overall draft record, it's clear that there's been a lack of consistency.
05:47Poles hasn't always nailed it in the later rounds, and that's been a big issue. He needs to do better
05:52in the draft, especially this year. The pressure is on him to hit on multiple offensive linemen
05:57and build a foundation for the future. This year's draft is his chance to make up for some
06:02of the mistakes of the past and set the team up for success. But here's the thing, the Bears roster
06:08isn't completely dependent on the draft. Poles still has the ability to make moves in free agency.
06:14There are still plenty of players who can help fill out the roster, especially on the defensive
06:19side of the ball. By freeing up cap space, Poles can be more flexible in making those moves.
06:24He can sign the right players to complement the draft picks he makes, and build a well-rounded
06:30team that's capable of competing in the NFC. Ultimately, the Bears' success in the 2025 season
06:36will come down to how well Ryan Poles navigates this offseason. He has the resources, cap space,
06:42draft picks, and flexibility to turn things around. Losing out on Trey Smith was a blow,
06:47but it's not the end of the world. In fact, it might just be the opportunity Poles needs to
06:52make the right moves and get the Bears back on track. So, while we might not have Trey Smith
06:57in Chicago, we can still be optimistic about the future. If Poles hits on his draft picks and makes
07:02the right moves in free agency, the Bears could be on their way to building a team that's competitive
07:06for years to come. It's all about how Poles handles this setback. He's got the pieces to succeed,
07:14he just needs to put them together. And who knows, we might look back on this moment,
07:18when Trey Smith was tagged by the Chiefs, and realize it was the turning point for the Bears'
07:24future. The Bears have the resources, the picks, and the ability to build something special. Now,
07:29it's time for Ryan Poles to show us exactly what he's made of. The future of the Chicago
07:33Bears is in his hands. Let's see if he can make it count.
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