Trey Smith franchise tag could be a blessing in disguise for Ryan Poles
https://youtu.be/obK0tT1sph4
The Chicago Bears had their sights set on Trey Smith, but with the Chiefs locking him down, Ryan Poles must pivot fast. Could this setback actually work in Chicago’s favor? In this video, we explore the alternative moves Poles can make, from targeting other free agents to drafting an elite lineman. Is there a hidden blessing in missing out on Smith? Let’s dive into the Bears’ next steps!
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#ChicagoBears #TreySmith #RyanPoles #BearsFreeAgency #NFLRumors #BearsOffseason #NFL2025 #BearsNation #OffensiveLine #NFLDraft #KansasCityChiefs #BearsRebuild #BearsOffensiveLine #FootballTalk #BearsNews #BreakingNews #SuperBowl #ChicagoFootball #BearsAnalysis #NFLFreeAgency
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**Fair Use Disclaimer**
This video contains copyrighted material used under the fair use provisions of Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act. It is for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, and research. No copyright infringement is intended.
https://youtu.be/obK0tT1sph4
The Chicago Bears had their sights set on Trey Smith, but with the Chiefs locking him down, Ryan Poles must pivot fast. Could this setback actually work in Chicago’s favor? In this video, we explore the alternative moves Poles can make, from targeting other free agents to drafting an elite lineman. Is there a hidden blessing in missing out on Smith? Let’s dive into the Bears’ next steps!
----------
#ChicagoBears #TreySmith #RyanPoles #BearsFreeAgency #NFLRumors #BearsOffseason #NFL2025 #BearsNation #OffensiveLine #NFLDraft #KansasCityChiefs #BearsRebuild #BearsOffensiveLine #FootballTalk #BearsNews #BreakingNews #SuperBowl #ChicagoFootball #BearsAnalysis #NFLFreeAgency
----------
**Fair Use Disclaimer**
This video contains copyrighted material used under the fair use provisions of Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act. It is for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, and research. No copyright infringement is intended.
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SportsTranscript
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.