Pat Finley: Bears GM Ryan Poles isn't holding on to dead roster weight

LET MICHAEL ON THE BEAT BROUGHT YOU BRIGHT -- BY CHEVY DRIVE CHICAGO. A REGULAR WHO COVERS THE BEARS. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME FOR US, PATRICK AND HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL. LET US START WITH YOUR OVERALL IMPRESSION WITH CALEB WILLIAMS, I THINK@# THE MORE YOU HEAR FRO HIM, THE MORE YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM HIM. CERTAINLY FROM A FAN PERSPECTIVE, MANY FROM A MEDIA PERSPECTIVE, THE MORE YOU SEE THE MORE YOU WONDER. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TAKE AWAY FROM THE CALEB WILLIAMS EXPERIENCE SO FAR? >> IT FEELS LIKE HE CAN HANDLE THIS. THAT IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL IN CHICAGO. @# HE HAD THE LAST RECORD RETIRED IN 1950. CELEBRITY THING IS NOT ANYTHING NEW TO CALEB WILLIAMS. HE LOOKS COMFORTABLE. HE LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE WHO CAN DO WHAT RYAN ASKED HIM TO DO WHICH IS TO @#HAVE FLASHES OF GREATNE. A LOT OF JUST REALLY GOOD NORMAL FOOTBALL. >> IF HE CAN DO THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THE BEARS QUARTERBACK HAS NOT DONE THIS SINCE JAY CUTLER WENT TO PLAY FOR THE DOLPHINS. >> YOU MENTIONED RYAN POLES BRADY HE SPOKE YESTERDAY AND YOU ASKED A GOOD QUESTION. HE EVEN COMPLEMENT DID YOU ON THE QUESTION.@# WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM CALEB WILLIAMS HIS ROOKIE SEASON? HERE IS WHAT RYAN POLES HAD TO SAY. >> I WANT HIM TO LEAN ON THE TALENT AROUND HIM. AND THEN WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT , AND I THINK THAT PLAYS RIGHT INTO HIM. THAT IS WHEN YOU DID THE SPECIAL.@# AND THEN SOMETIMES IT IS GOING TO GET OUT OF WHACK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. BUT IT ALWAYS COMES BACK TO THAT. THAT NEUTRAL PLACE WHERE HE HAS AT HIS BEST. I THINK HE HAS JUST FROM STUDYING AND WATCHING YEARS OF TAPE ON HIM. HE HAS THE ABILITY. I THINK THAT IS THE BIG THING. # LEANING ON THE GUYS AROUND HIM AND LET THE WILD PLACE HAPPENED AT THE RIGHT TIME WE SAW THAT IN PRESEASON A LITTLE BIT. >> A GOOD QUESTION. I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DOING THE SPECIAL FOR CALEB WILLIAMS, HOW SOON BEFORE HE HAS TO DO THE SPECIAL?@# >> MAY BE GAME ONE OR AT LEAST GAME TWO. THEY WANT HIM TO PLAY POINT GUARD. IT IS A LOT EASIER TO PLAY POINT GUARD AND TO BE A PASS FIRST POINT GUARD WHEN YOU HAVE REAL PLAYERS FOR THAT IS SOMETHING THEY DID NOT GIVE JUSTIN FIELDS OR EVEN MITCH. @# YOU CAN GET THERE AND SAY, JUSTIN COULD JUST GET THE BALLS IN THE HANDS OF A PLAYMAKER THEY WERE NOT VERY GOOD BUT ONE THAT CALEB WILLIAMS HAD ARE. WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT HAVING SEEN IT IN COLLEGE, THE PLAYERS AT USC, AT LEAST HIM OFFENSIVE SIDE, WERE REALLY GOOD. ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE, WE WERE REALLY GOOD. CALEB @#HAS EXPERIENCE IN IDENTIFYING THE MISMATCH, GETTING THE BALL IN THE HANDS OF THE PASS RUSH ARE AND LETTING THEM GO TO WORK. IN TERMS OF WHEN TO BE SPECIAL, LET US POINT OUT THAT 45 YARDS PAST ROME ODUNZE WHEN THE BEARS WERE STRUGGLING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF MOMENTUM . A GREAT MOMENT TO BE SPECIAL.@# A GREAT MOMENT TO BE SPECIAL GIVEN HOW THE BEARS HAVE LOOKED IN THE RED ZONE THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THE BEARS HAVE A ROSTER WHERE THEY MIGHT NOT NEED CALEB TO THE GAME IN ORDER TO WIN THERE WILL BE MOMENTS IF HE IS AT HIS BEST, HE WILL BE HARD FOR YOU. >> I THINK THEY COULD HAVE@# EA GAME OF SPECIAL PART OF OFFENSIVE LINE BEING ATTACKED WOULD HELP THEM DO THAT. RYAN POLES SAID HE FEELS AS GOOD ABOUT THIS OFFENSIVE LINE DEPTH AS HE HAS SINCE HE TOOK OVER. THEY KEPT 10 ON THE ROSTER AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW. WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN THE OFFENSIVE LINE AND DO YOU AGREE? EVEN THOUGH @#IT MIGHT BE A LOW BAR THAT THE BEARS HAVE CLEARED AND THIS IS THE BEST GROUP THAT THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER? >> I THINK IT IS A LOW BAR THAT WHEN EVERY TALK ABOUT DEATH, THAT MIGHT BE A NICE WAY TO NOT TALK ABOUT HIS STARTERS. I THINK THEY ARE SOLID. IF THEY CAN BECOME THE UNIT THAT CHRIS MORGAN IS KNOWN FOR BUILDING, THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO BE GOOD. @# DARNELL WRIGHT, I'M NOT SURE THERE IS ONE TALENT WHEN YOU .2 AND GO, THIS IS A TOP FIVE IN THE LEAGUE SORT OF PLAYER AND DISPOSITION. YOU WANT THE DEPTH THAT THEY HAVE. GATES IS PROBABLY BETTER BEST DEPTH PETER RIGHT NOW. HE IS HURT. THEIR THIRD ROUND PICK IS NOT HURT ANYMORE BUT SO MUCH @#WORK IN THE OFF-SEASON THAT I THINK YOU CAN EXPECT ANYTHING OUT OF HIM IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON. THAT LEAVES YOU A COUPLE OTHER GUYS TO HELP YOU. I AM NOT QUITE AS CONFIDENT AS WE SIT HERE AT THE START. >> WE SAW HARD KNOCKS, THE PICTURE OF RYAN POLES SITTING THERE DEEP IN THOUGHT. HE IS A DEEP@# ANCHOR. IT HAS BEEN GOOD FOR HIS IMAGE AND THE PERCEPTION OF A GUY WHO HAS PUT TOGETHER THIS ROSTER INTELLIGENTLY. THREE YEARS INTO THIS TENURE, WOULD YOU SAY THAT HE HAS GROWN ON THE JOB IF YOU AGREE THAT HE HAS, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST WAYS HE HAS SHOWN THAT? >>@# I LIKE THE BEST OF ANYTHIN HE HAD DONE SHORT OF THE CALEB WILLIAMS TRADE, THAT MAY GO DOWN AS THE TOP FIVE TRADE IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL. I LIKE HIS ABILITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THINGS AND TRADE THE PLAY OR CUT THE PLAYER. TJ WALKER, THE QUARTERBACK WE HAVE LAST OFF-SEASON. A GREAT @#BACKUP FOR JUSTIN FIELDS. HE GOT BEAT UP. RATHER THAN HANG ONTO THEM, RYAN POLES JUST CUT HIM. AND PAID THE $2 MILLION OR WHATEVER IT WAS. CLAYPOOL CAME IN. HE WAS NOT WORKING OUT. THEY JUST GOT RID OF HIM FOR VERY LITTLE @#RATHER THAN TRYIN TO FORCE IT TO MAKE IT WORK. I THINK THAT REFLECTS UPON HIS PERSONALITY. HIS ABILITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MOVES HE MAKES AND A KNOWLEDGE OF THE ONES THAT WORK. THE ONES THAT -- NOT GET INTO THE FACT THAT I INVESTED ALL OF THIS. THAT IS WHY THE DANIEL JONES MOVE WAS SO INTERESTING. THE BEARS WILL GET A THIRD ROUND PICK EVERY OPPORTUNITY@#. THINK WE HAVE SEEN POLES DOES NOT DEAL IN CHARITY VERY OFTEN HERE. I THINK THEY CAN HELP BUCKLE. >> WHAT IS INTERESTING AS YOU TALK, SOMETIMES THE BEST MOVES ARE THE ONES YOU DO NOT MAKE IT MATTHEW JADON, THAT WAS SOMETHING TO GO IN FOR A GUY THAT MIGHT GIVE UP SOME DRAFT CAPITAL@# AND MAYBE THE WISDOM THAT WAS NOT GOING FORWARD AND MAKING THAT DEAL. I THINK TO A LESSER DEGREE OR BIGGER PICTURE, MATT EBERFLUS NOT FIRING HIM WHEN HE COULD HAVE JUMPED THE FIGHT HIMSELF AND GOING AFTER ONE OF THE BIG NAME COACHES AVAILABLE. RIGHT NOW, THEN THE @#CONNECTIO BETWEEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENERAL MANAGER AND HEAD COACH IS TIGHT. IT IS IMPORTANT AND ONE OF THE BEST STRENGTH ORGANIZATIONALLY. >> THE VIBES ARE GOOD, AS THE KIDS WOULD SAY. I THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF THERE WAS A DIFFERENT HEAD COACH. ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT POLES SAYS IT WAS @#HIS DEFENSE OF MATT EBERFLUS. HE KEPT CHIPPING AWAY EVEN WHEN THINGS GOT REALLY, REALLY BAD. THEY BOTH FELT THEY WOULD HAVE AN AWESOME FIRST SEASON IN TERMS OF RECORD. YOU KEEP TRYING TO IMPROVE AND KEEP TEACHING THE WAY FORWARD. AND THEN YOU ADD THAT TALENT ON THAT. @# IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A LEAP OF FAITH TO STICK WITH HIM. FOR THE FIRST YEAR AND A HALF OF THE SEASON, MATT EBERFLUS, RECORD WISE, THE WORST COACH THEY HAVE EVER HAD. NOW YOU SEE HIM COMING AROUND. YOU SEE THE LITTLE THINGS ACTUALLY CARRIED SOME PRETTY GOOD VALUE. YOU SEE THAT THE PLAYERS, I THINK, LIKE HIM. SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT THE LAST TWO SEASONS @#OF BEARS FOOTBALL. THERE WAS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF BS . IT WAS GUYS GOING TO WORK IN MY HEART FOR EACH OTHER AND NOT AIRING OUT THEIR TEAMMATES. OR CAUSING TOO MUCH OF A DISTRACTION. WHAT THEY DID, CHASE CLAYPOOL WAS SENT PACKING PRETTY QUICKLY . >> THE 53 MEN ROSTER THAT WE HAVE PROTECTED AND DISSECTED, @# IS THAT A PLANT PROSPECT? >> I THINK IT IS. MAKING THE PLAYOFFS IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE NOW THAT THERE ARE SEVEN TEAMS. I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO BE LATE TO MAKE THE POSTSEASON. YOU NEED TO BE PRETTY GOOD. THEY ARE 10-7, 9-18 DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS GO.@# I THINK OF THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK HAS A CHANCE TO STEP IN IF NEEDED AND HELP THEM A LOT. THEY HAVE A ROSTER, ON PAPER, IS ONE OF THE BEST SEVEN ROSTERS IN THE NFL WE HAVE ALL SEEN THAT ON PAPER THING BEFORE. AS WE SIT HERE NOW, I THINK IT IS CALEB THAT GETS BETTER EVERY WEEK. AND WIN GAMES EVEN WHEN @#HE IS NOT GREAT THAT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO START. THAT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY HAD WHEN THEY WERE ASKING JUSTIN FIELDS AND STRAVINSKY TO COME PLAY TO TRY TO WIN FOOTBALL >> YOU DID A TERRIFIC JO