The Chicago Bears were thought to be in the running for Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, but they passed and threw shade on the Eagles for their decision.
When the Chicago Bears traded down one spot to allow the Philadelphia Eagles to jump up to No. 9 and take Georgia’s Jalen Carter, eyebrows were raised.
The Bears’ defensive line needs massive reinforcements, and by adding Carter, red flags and all, the Windy City would fill the most critical position on their defense. Yet, they chose Darnell Wright out of Tennesee, which fills the biggest need on the offense at the right tackle position.
Poles was asked about that at the press conference following the conclusion of the first round, and he had a rather interesting response.
Bears GM Ryan Poles won't comment specifically on his team's decision not to draft Jalen Carter.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) April 28, 2023
But he did add this: "Character will always be important for us."
Hmmm. That says something. That also comes after members within the Georgia organization themselves had some questions.
Jalen Carter stayed in the top 10 despite numerous red flags, including some blunt and candid feedback from Georgia coaches to NFL teams. https://t.co/pv93KNDt0n
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 28, 2023
Maybe the Bears had the right idea when they chose to let the Eagles take Carter in their wings and help him mature. Sometimes things work out like that.
The Chicago Bears made the right decision by going with Darnell Wright over Jalen Carter at this stage.
Chicago has a long way to go before they can go ahead and make decisions on players with any sort of off-the-field issues. Philadelphia can afford to take such risks. That said, Ryan Poles deserves more credit than he is being given, mainly because of how he navigated moving around in the first round.
The name of the game is to get a franchise quarterback and build around him. Last season, thanks to Ryan Pace and his panic-stricken mindset, Poles could not work with much and had to rely on leftovers and inexperience. This time, Poles had more resources and time to work with, and so far, he’s got the Bears looking upward. At the same time, he is not one to panic, which is a blessing.
Jalen Carter may thrive for Philadelphia, but for now, Howie Roseman should probably give the Bears the credit they deserve for taking the best player on their board and filling a major need in the process. Chicago got another draft pick due to the trade, and the more picks come in, the better.