Bears front office got the groceries, now Matt Eberflus has to cook

Analysts love the Bears’ NFL draft picks. Now the coaches have to use their resources well.

Ryan Poles and the rest of the front office improved the Chicago Bears, at least on paper. Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze in the top 10 represented a huge haul for the franchise, which has made only one Super Bowl over the past 38 NFL seasons and has sorely lacked elite playmakers. The Bears appear to have addressed that acute need. Now it’s time for coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to make use of these resources, says USA TODAY Sports NFL analyst Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz:

“GM Ryan Poles pushed back on the narrative about the Bears’ QB history by saying ‘we were hired to break a cycle.’ Too early to say mission accomplished, but it’s hard to argue with the steps that got Chicago here. Yes, much of this good fortune comes back to the Panthers’ helplessness in 2023, which provided a massive payoff to the Bears’ trade the previous offseason. But Poles enacted an impressive plan to get the right setup in place for Williams ahead of this selection. With a solid offensive supporting cast, it’s now on coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to help Williams play on schedule while still harnessing his creativity. But all the hype is warranted for a singular player who has the poise, accuracy and arm strength to become a top NFL signal-caller in short order.”

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