Bears GM Ryan Poles backs Justin Fields, ‘inspired’ by progress

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Chicago Bears common supervisor Ryan Poles expressed help for quarterback Justin Fields throughout an impromptu information convention inside Gillette Stadium hours earlier than his staff took on the New England Patriots on Monday Evening Soccer.

“I do know Justin has been an enormous matter and his growth,” Poles stated. “And we’re inspired with the progress that’s there. It isn’t on the statistics and on the paper on a regular basis, however he’s getting higher in numerous completely different areas. I feel as an entire we have gotta proceed to play higher round him as properly to permit him to maintain enjoying properly and get his confidence going and execute at a excessive stage.”

Fields ranks in direction of the underside of the NFL in most statistical classes by way of his first six video games of the season. The second-year quarterback is thirty second in completion share (54.8%), off-target share (24.4%), sack share (13.5%) and strain share (46.2%). He additionally has the second-worst interception share (4.3%) and completion share over expectation (-10.7%), in line with Subsequent Gen Stats.

Poles stated he can be “a number of various things” in his analysis of Fields over the Bears’ subsequent 11 video games.

“How he is getting used? Are we placing him within the place the place he could be profitable? After which the execution and the main points of what he is being requested to do and actually dashing as much as the sport and making selections faster,” Poles stated. “However once more, the gorgeous factor about soccer, it is reliant on everyone else. As an entire we’ve got to enhance, and I feel we’ll see that everybody stats to get higher after which we’ll begin to ascend.”

In Chicago’s final recreation in opposition to Washington, a 12-7 loss on Oct. 13, Fields was pressured 18 occasions, a brand new profession excessive. Poles expressed concern over the quarterback being hit as typically as he is been this season however didn’t solely pin blame on the offensive line, noting that there’s “room for enchancment” for Fields in eliminating the ball sooner.

“I’d say that once you watch the tape, there may be give and tackle that,” Poles stated. “I feel it is just a little little bit of executing sooner. However then there are additionally some safety issues that want to enhance as properly. So it is actually a holistic view that should enhance for him to remain upright.”

Poles was employed in January and led the Bears by way of the start phases of a rebuild through the offseason. The overall supervisor opted to spend Chicago’s prime two draft picks on cornerback Kyler Gordon and security Jaqaun Brisker, each of whom have began each recreation by way of six weeks.

The overall supervisor didn’t second guess his choice to not make investments extra within the offensive line and receiving corps whereas expressing unprompted reward for rookie left sort out Braxton Jones, who the Bears chosen with a fifth-round decide.

“No. To talk on that, I’ve been pleased with the place Braxton is,” Poles stated. “I feel he is a younger participant. There are going to be ups and downs for positive. And these defensive traces are like no joke. So he continues to develop, he continues to get higher. There are going to be ebbs and flows with that. I feel Lucas has finished good issues for the tradition of our offensive line. You guys have talked very early about Justin getting hit and never seeing like him being again. That is improved. And we’re going to proceed to maneuver issues round and see if we will get that entrance to jell and proceed to enhance.”

When requested about doubtlessly upgrading Chicago’s receiving corps with the Nov. 1 commerce approaching to enhance the mess around Fields, Poles stated, “I feel regardless we’re all the time going to be energetic within the phrases of if it is making telephone calls or choosing up the telephone and simply seeing if that’s one thing that may enhance our staff and it is sensible for us, not just for now, as a result of I’ve all the time talked about this — it is sustaining success for a protracted time frame. It isn’t the quick repair on a regular basis. Simply mixing that collectively is hard as a result of it takes numerous self-discipline to do. So that is what we’re balancing.”