Ryan Poles on drafting Caleb Williams & expectations for Bears’ offense | The Pat McAfee Show

General Manger of the Chicago Bears, Ryan Poles joins The Pat McAfee Show to discuss:

0:00 Drafting Caleb Williams
3:50 Expect Bears to open up the offense?
6:30 Drafting punter Tory Taylor out of Iowa
8:00 Significant trade offers for pick No. 1 or No. 2?
13:40 New stadium?
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the team that had the number one overall
pick and the ninth overall pick only
four picks in this year’s draft at the
beginning the lowest out of everybody in
the NFL they made a couple moves picked
up one but one and nine remained the
exact same that everybody thought going
in ladies and gentlemen the man has been
tked with flipping Chicago back into a
winner GM for the Bears Ryan
[Applause]
pul how are you bub what’s going on
doing good how are you hey I was worried
we were never going to be able talk to
you again after a time down at the
annual meeting uh I’m very thankful that
you’re back on and I can’t fathom how
cool you look as a general manager in
the NFL right now look at you cut off
Hoodie sick flat bill with a pen in
there always scouting always judging we
appreciate you taking the time to join
us here post draft so number one overall
Caleb Williams we knew that forever did
you know that forever like everybody
else or was there a full process of
trying to figure out who could
potentially be the number one overall
pick yeah we went through the the full
process the film was a film that stood
out that kind of had my heart from the
beginning um but as we spent more time
with Caleb and and did their homework
and got to know each other uh it became
clear and clear go ahead AJ when you see
all this stuff surrounding and and I
know you guys do a great job of having
your blinders on and not listening to
whatever pundits or mock drafts might be
um does it you guys know who you have
like when you you know who Caleb is does
anything anything ever ever infiltrate
your guys’ building of all the if people
just want to tear him down because he’s
been the number one pick for so long how
do you guys block that out and and how
do you truly know that hey like this is
your guy yeah I mean I feel like with
any relationship you’re about to start
you got to see the other person eye to
eye you got to spend time with them uh
real time and not take everybody else’s
you know Thoughts with that so that’s
what we did we sat down with each other
we had dinner together um all of our
staff got to spend time with them I want
to make sure some of our players sat
down and spent time with them as well
that means a lot to me means a lot to
the locker room so once all those boxes
got checked that really didn’t care you
know about the noise and what other
people had to say did you tell Caleb
before the draft you were taking him in
number
one no no no I think he knew though okay
all right all right so there was because
that would be a whole another animal if
Caleb was told and he didn’t tell
anybody it’s like okay here we go we got
another story because coming out with to
AJ’s point it was like his team close to
sore him were saying all these things
then we watch him at the pro day
wrestling with his offensive lineman his
teammates love him we met him at the
draft seem incredibly humble he
introduced himself to everybody it’s
like checked all the boxes from our
standpoint from end of season to the
draft I feel like he did the same for
you and everybody’s talking about the
number nine overall pick it’s like okay
well they’re probably going to get out
there to get more picks and if they
don’t they’re taking Roman dun because
him and Caleb are tight that was going
into the draft people were saying that
and then all of a sudden it falls to
pick nine you knew Rome was going to be
the guy if he was available and how did
we land on that particular pick as
opposed to maybe trading out and picking
up some more pieces yeah Roma was at the
top of our list uh we have our our draft
board kind of separated by different
colors and there’s there’s certain guys
you you don’t pass up on and uh Rome’s
one of them uh it’s hard to find a guy
that is that big and that talented at
the receiver spot and on top of that
being a unbelievable human being as well
so uh there there was no movement off of
of Rome at all you made some you picked
up another pick uh debuts got a question
for you about next year yeah absolutely
adding talent to that wide receiver room
and then bringing over Keenan Allen as
well coming off one of his best season
he’s been a dominating Pro DJ Moore
coming off a career year as well uh
we’ve all known hey history of the Bears
never had a 4,000 yard quarterback can
we expect more of a wideopen offense um
you know especially in the earlier part
of the Season uh going into it well I
think you know Shane’s going to do a
good job putting Caleb in a a position
to be successful um I think with with
any setup having balance is helpful in
that and um and then with all the
weapons that we do have you would think
that we should have some success in the
air as well um but I think we want to
keep keep it balanced keep everyone you
know not knowing exactly what what we’re
going to do and um and take advantage of
those those matchups and if it’s a heavy
box or light box uh being able to
exploit whatever part of the field we
need to so I’m excited I think we’ve
attacked every level um in terms of our
our our weapons on our offense um so
we’re we’re pumped up yeah you’re
bringing Swift too phenomenal running
back obviously that’ll help in it all
and I I think the big thing we noticed
towards the end of last year after you
brought in sweat and then PID him which
a lot of people questioned a lot of
people say you’re going to pay this guy
that hasn’t been here a bunch of money
it felt like ebra flu’s culture kind of
settled in to the locker room to the
roster to the defense when you’re
meeting with these guys before the draft
are you asking questions to find out if
they could fit in with ebra Flo’s
culture is that a big part of it and
what do you think the culture of the
team is yeah uh no we we play hard we
play fast we play violent and uh you got
to have passion for the game if you have
those things uh you’re going to be fine
U but there is a level of intensity that
that flu brings and expects it’s just a
part of the standard so um we want to
make sure we’re bringing in guys that
can meet that and it’s easy to see I
mean it’s less in the interview it’s
more on tape that we can see if you’re
going to be able to to match that
standard and um and all the guys that we
brought in do even the punter well
that’s what hey that’s what I was to say
it’s only that’s the only reason why I’m
doing this interview because I got a
punter in here for okay let’s talk about
Tory Taylor uh Ty was gonna ask about
him but since you brought him up I will
he’s big he’s big dude and at Iowa he
was like winning them games like best
player yeah legit he was uh they were
trying to put him in a Heisman
conversation as a punter which is
obviously incredibly abnormal but
there’s some games you watch as like
well he just pinned six times inside the
five in the Iowa defense is the biggest
weapon for him he was clearly number one
punter on the board at what point
whenever you decide to pull the trigger
on him do you think it’s too early for a
punter too late for a punter how did you
kind of go into making a decision to
bring Tory to
Chicago yeah I I didn’t expect him to
get much further um definitely didn’t
think I’d be able to to pick up when we
got into the fifth round and and really
the thought process there is is to make
anyone we’re playing really
uncomfortable um I I’ve been I didn’t
play much in the NFL but I know uh
running onto the field and and and
having the ball spotted inside the 10
yard line is a very uncomfortable
feeling it’s disheartening at times um
and I love taking advantage of field
positions and really that should help us
with points as well so uh I think is
going to add to our team and uh and
again make it uncomfortable and
difficult for for any team we’re going
against he’s
so powerful I I watched him at the Big
10 championship in warm-ups and I I
assume he didn’t have his best warm-up
but whenever you hear the sound of when
he hits the ball it’s like oh this this
guy’s got a little boom this guy’s got
some real boom he’s been working all
offseason to become the standard NFL
punter and kind of turn ball is over I
can’t wait to watch him thank you for
doing that for the breand thank you for
doing that I think maybe in the second
round if you would have been able to
have a pick or third round you pull the
trigger there but obviously not a lot of
picks with that being said Connor has a
question for you yeah obviously there’s
a lot of behind the scenes coming out
right now for instance you know the Jets
they just released a three-minute video
and during that video Joe Douglas
mentions how Atlanta actually was trying
to trade back up to 10 during your
process uh either before the draft or
during the draft were there any just
absurd trade offers at one or nine that
even though you had your guys you had to
consider
just because I mean a year before you
pulled off one of the greatest draft
trades probably ever looking back on
it uh no nothing crazy I don’t think I
ever allowed it to to get crazy because
you know we were gathering information
on Caleb um and I knew you know again
from the tape it was a a rare prospect
that had a lot of talent that could help
us turn this thing around so it was
going to take a lot um so by the time we
got to the point where we felt comble um
I wasn’t even going to take those calls
anymore even you know listen to what it
was going to be uh because I knew this
was the right move for us I kept it
moving uh but for nine couple calls some
interest um probably similar situation
with the Jets um but nothing that was
going to take us off a Rome we watched
that video of Joe Douglas we’ll air it
here in a little bit that the Jets put
out the amount is it that intense in
every are you I mean he
was I’ll call back and why is he using a
cell phone there do you guys not have
just a phone at one button every single
GM or or how how what are the operations
behind it all no we all have phones that
you know can are wired into to every
draft room but I think it’s just habit
we all call each other off of our cell
phones we just jump right back into that
when we’re in the uh in the rooms I was
so flustered I’m like why the hell is he
using his own yeah cuz Ballard all the
Bard videos yeah he’s on the landline
yeah and it’s like they’re recording all
those Joe Douglas is on his cell phone
we can’t hear [ __ ] we we can’t hear a
single thing he’s like in the background
he’s like what is he say can we put some
captions on there yeah there he is he’s
literally sitting in the back of the
room we’ll watch this video later it is
fantastic is that accurate depiction of
every
room no our our room’s pretty chill
uh no I don’t go ahead AJ have you ever
heard of a room or been in in a war room
to where you do have like someone the GM
or owner limits cell phones or says hey
we can’t trust anybody I don’t know if
anyone in here is texting a reporter
tipping things trying to get information
have you ever heard of any rooms where
they do have to kind of take those
precautions um no I mean I’ve had rooms
that you know limit how many people are
in the room it could be four or five in
the room and and keep everyone outside
for for that is that list if you’re the
GM how do you how do you let people know
hey you know you’re you’re coming in
you’re not you’re not like how do you
how do people know if they’re coming
into the room yeah I’m sure there’s an
email or just kind of a notification of
you know it’s only going to be the top
decision makers directors and above uh
that are going to be in the room but
it’s important for me I everyone’s had
their hand in the situ or in the um in
the process there’s a ton of hard work
that goes into it uh across the board so
on that day I feel like it’s right to
have everybody in there and if if you’re
on staff I I trust you so um we keep the
whole crew in there to to go through the
process well Raj Raj told you to take
the full 10 minutes there on that first
pick or what how’d that work out no I
had to take take five minutes to let
five minutes go by
first we found out about every Pick 10
minutes before they all came out we knew
o dun at 6 I think yeah we we the
internet just had them all so we had a
little situation with the NFL actually
cuz the internet knows all these picks
before everybody else I think that’s why
AJ asked about like how do these things
get out what is it you guys get a heads
up before everybody else about who’s
picked before you or how is it different
from where you are vers where we
are yeah we just have a the league has a
um like a live draft site so as soon as
you know enters plugged in from a draft
room it gets posted onto this this site
so that’s why when you listen to the
Jets deal you’ll hear someone yell the
pick uh pretty quickly um so that’s why
there’s a little bit of a head start
there yeah it helps us out go ahead son
yeah Ryan through the process um leading
up to the draft we talked to a lot of
GMS and like one of the questions a
couple of us always had was like how
much you’re kind of paying attention to
what’s going on in the division itself
now obviously if you’re drafting a
quarterback one overall like it doesn’t
matter you know you need to get that guy
but how much of like looking at the
Packers lions and Vikings and like what
they kind of are as a team how much of
that dictates what you actually do in
the draft if anything
um no not too much you know we have Pro
staffs that are uh assigned to to each
team in the league and it’s more about
what their needs are uh to help you
manage if you need to trade up in front
of someone or you can trade back safely
and still get your guy um so that’s
there but in terms of reacting to what
teams do in the moment um there I I know
we don’t we don’t do that um I think
that would just lead you to make some
proba some poor decisions how do you
feel uh did you look at everybody else’s
draft you want to judge them publicly
here in the NFC
North no I’m not going to judge them
I’ll let them take care of their own
stuff and worry about ours and keep it
moving Tai said some terrible stuff to
the Detroit Lions fans on Friday I don’t
know if you’re Canna see it he he said
some very rude stuff to the Lions fans
tone has a question for you polls yeah
Mr poles you are adding a lot of weapons
okay so do you know something we don’t
know about the new stadium uh now that
it’s is it definitely it’s going to be
done for next season it’s going to be
indoor and you guys are just going to
throw it I don’t know 80% of the time
that’s why you’re going with all the
weapons Fast Track you’re working with
May no I don’t I don’t know how long
it’s going to take um but uh we’re
excited about about the uh you know the
stuff that they put out in the images of
it I think it’d be really cool um but
we’ll see how long it takes but no we’ll
be outdoors for a little bit Paul
where’s everybody
parking I’m I’m not sure
figure it out hey I do have a special
request on on behalf of all the former
players and on the current players now
can you fix the all 22 angle in the new
stadium please cuz that Old Chicago Bear
all 22 angles was shitty please it’s it
actually was fixed last year okay that’s
what po does got your ass what hey my
bad my apologies big man my apologies no
we we put some uh robotic cameras up top
so you don’t have the overhang kind of
blocking everything than God it was a
little bit of a Advantage but it was
also screwing them so I didn’t really I
didn’t fully understand it Pacman’s got
a question for you Pa Pa now that now
that the draft is over how important are
is it to get some of these guys there
still some good guys out there that’s
going to play some critical Downs um are
you still boots on the ground looking at
guys right now or is it time to debrief
and watch the rookies um for the older
guys or the guys that’s still free
agents no we’ll take a look um at who’s
still available and have those
conversations and see what’s you know
what fits um you know there’s there’s a
couple things into that it’s what guys
are asking for you know in terms of
salary of what fits the cap situation
that we’re in now that we have Clarity
and having to pick one nine um you know
is is pretty expensive so that kind of
messes with our cap a little bit but we
definitely look at what’s available and
see if any of those guys can can help
our roster for sure love that the work
never stops as an NFL GM just like the
stories never do uh zitto would like to
say something to you Mr poles yeah
basically I’ve lived for 32 years that
was the greatest draft I’ve ever been a
part of there and I feel like I was in
the war room with you so thank you very
much you’re welcome Z hey Caleb it just
you know we all obviously saw him at USC
saw him in the Heisman highest paid nil
guy of all time
lot of [ __ ] coming around him what
is your messaging to him whenever he
comes in it’s I assume the pressure is
already enough because he’s number one
overall pick but how are you guys
talking to him what are the expectations
and how do you kind of see the next
couple months going for him yeah I think
it’s just getting on the same page with
his teammates um he’s already started
that he’s reached out to everyone I
think he’s reached out to a lot of guys
in the defense as well um getting with
him to to throw getting that timing
right um and then getting in the
Playbook you know there’s a lot of
changes from the college game and the
offense he was he was running in college
to to what he’ll do here um we’ll make
sure we adapt um to his strengths you
know as well to make sure that he’s
doing what’s comfortable he can play
fast and free um but it’s really getting
in the Playbook and get those Concepts
down so he can really spit calls and uh
get everyone on the same page um but in
in terms of the locker room he’s already
started um it matters to him so that
part’s easy for us it’s it it becomes
natural to him seems like he’s done
everything right and the DAP up in the
hotel when we got to meet him very clean
I mean very very natural I was sitting
down he was standing up he had a group
of people around him nice easy how we
doing keep it moving Vibes were
Immaculate seemingly did you wake up uh
and say Caleb no matter what on a
Post-It note and when did you write that
note to yourself at what what was there
a moment where you decided yep it’s
gonna be Caleb
actually came in for his 30 visit so it
had been a good couple weeks um which
made it tough to wait until uh to draft
day but um no I was pumped up to get it
done finally sounds like zitto was too I
mean yeah he was in there yeah oh yeah
just got
rash zipper burn on himself big time all
night he was jacked up hey we we
appreciate the hell out of you man keep
killing it over there you know you told
us down to annual meetings I feel like
some of the conversation in chatter
about the Chicago organization not being
a place uh is the reason why I was hired
we were hired to kind of turn this thing
around you heard the stat from debut
there about not having a 4,000 yard
quarterback and everything feels like
you’re doing everything right and we
appreciate the hell out of you taking
time with us brother absolutely
appreciate you guys all right tell Kevin
Warren we say hello we’ll do love you K
now tell him it’s not our fault during
Co he said we’re not playing football
but we had we had I mean we got to talk
about it what do you want from ladies
and gentlemen Ron Paul thank PA