Chicago Bears: What does Poles do with the ninth pick?

Add a receiving target

Before the start of the new league year, there was a lot of speculation surrounding quarterback Justin Fields. What started out as whispers ended up becoming loud screams that the Chicago Bears should trade Fields.

The Bears are in the midst of a rebuild so people figured that the team should reboot on the quarterback. They would have another young quarterback on a rookie deal. Fields already has two seasons under his belt. That means the team has two more seasons on a rookie contract. Then there is a big fifth-year option and afterward an even bigger contract.

Well, Poles blew all that speculation up. Not only did he keep Fields and trade away the top pick, he gave him more weapons. Despite the loss of David Montgomery, he added Travis Homer and D’Onta Foreman to keep the rushing game strong. Homer also has the ability to be an effective pass-catcher out of the backfield.

In addition to Moore, Poles picked up tight end Robert Tonyan. Combined with Cole Kmet, the Bears now have a strong tight end duo. They give Fields big targets. That helps him, especially in the red zone.

Poles can give Fields another receiving target. He could reunite Fields with his college teammate, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Smith-Njigba may not have the blazing speed of other receivers but he is a tough, physical player who can make big catches, especially on contested throws.

Smith-Njigba could be an elite possession receiver. He can go over the middle and take a hit and hold onto the ball. His catch focus is elite when it is contested. He can just outwork the defender for the ball.

Having Smith-Njigba gives Fields a receiver he doesn’t have to work to understand. There is no learning curve because the two already know each other. They succeeded together in college and could do it again in the pros.