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The year before Ryan Poles stepped in as the Bears’ new general manager in 2022, his predecessor mortgaged the franchise’s future — a future that ultimately wouldn’t include him — by trading up to draft quarterback Justin Fields 11th overall.
Ryan Pace gave up what would’ve been Poles’ first-round pick (No. 5 overall) in his first draft class. That actually would’ve been fine if Fields had turned out to be the game-changing quarterback the Bears have long craved.