Don't Do It, Ryan Poles

Many assume they would do this with the intention of drafting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. It'd be fun. It'd be exciting. It'd be dumb.

Ryan Poles: If you are wandering into the dark depths of the internet and stumble upon this article, I implore you to reconsider giving up draft capital to move up a few spots for a running back. Is Jeanty a good running back? Absolutely. Some have called him generational, though that term is thrown around casually nowadays. Consider that in the last ten years, there have been a handful of running backs who were supposedly generational (Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Leonard Fournette, and Ezekiel Elliott, just off the top of my head).

With three top-50 picks in his holster, Ryan Poles has an opportunity to reinforce a roster that has seen sweeping improvements this offseason. Jeanty is good, but in a class gushing with running back talent, is he worth the risk of losing one of those second-round picks?

Is Ben Johnson pounding the table for Ashton Jeanty? And if he is, should Poles acquiesce?

Ben Johnson was the offensive coordinator of the Lions when they took Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th overall pick. Gibbs, who many had pegged as a late first-rounder or early second-rounder, was a surprise pick who paid immediate dividends for the Lions. Of course, Gibbs was also acquired in a trade back. Despite that, many still thought he was over-drafted, given his value and talent as a prospect.

It's all speculation, but reports have been trickling out of Chicago for weeks now that the team is enamored with Jeanty. But is the trade-up worth it? Ryan Poles is in an unenviable position to weigh team needs versus coaches' wants. In his first season as General Manager, the Bears selected Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker in the second round despite the glaring needs on the offensive line. Both of those picks reeked of Matt Eberflus's influence. Though Gordon was recently awarded a handsome deal that will keep him in Chicago for several more seasons, it was still a questionable use of draft capital, considering that the offensive line has been an afterthought up until this current offseason.

The Bears aren't in rarified air if they do elect to trade up for Jeanty, but the results from other teams' past efforts have been mixed. Recently, the Jaguars traded back into the first round for Travis Etienne. The Chargers traded up to grab Melvin Gordon after trading up a few years prior to select Ryan Mathews. The Broncos traded up to acquire former UGA Bulldog Knowshon Moreno, and no one is going to forget when Mike Ditka donned a Rick James-esque wig after unloading the entire 1999 Saints' draft arsenal for Ricky Williams.

As a prospect, Ashton Jeanty shines brighter than most of the names mentioned above. Ricky Williams was the only player drafted in the top five, but it'd be tough to argue that the Saints' trade for him was worth the capital they gave up.

In the hypothetical where the Bears trade up for Ashton Jeanty at #5 overall, what does a successful season look like for the Heisman Trophy runner-up? Per the NFL's rookie pay scale for first-rounders, Jeanty will sign a contract worth roughly $36 million if he's drafted 5th overall. At roughly $9 million per year, Jeanty immediately becomes a top-five paid player at his respective position without logging a snap in the league. It's a questionable allocation of resources when you consider most teams prefer to use rookie deals as a way to supplement the veteran salaries on the roster. Still, with Jeanty becoming a top earner for his position at the outset, you've technically wiped away any economic advantage regarding roster construction.

It's a fun thought, but it's like loading up on desserts at the buffet and skipping the meat and potatoes. I have to imagine the Falcons are kicking themselves after selecting Bijan Robinson over Jalen Carter. In fact, of the positions drafted in the top 10, running back ranks last when it comes to wins added. The Bears still have plenty of holes to fill on their roster, and while running back is a position of need, it's not worth cutting off the proverbial nose to spite the face.

Last year, Ian Cunningham talked Ryan Poles out of trading up for Rome Odunze. That practice of patience paid off for the Bears as Odunze fell to the team at #9 overall. Let's hope Cunningham is glued to Poles' side again to prevent another potential folly.