Ryan Poles explains the negotiation process for bids for the number 1 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Ryan Poles claimed to the media there were four teams with “good offers” for the coveted #1 Bears. According to the Bears GM, many teams also showed casual interest in the pick.
However, the Poles did not use offers from other teams as leverage against another team. That’s not how he does business.
“It’s happened to me negotiating with agents,” Poles told Courtney Cronin. “So I really don’t do that. Buy targeted offers. I just don’t like it. But if I have something better, I have something better and we can keep talking.”
Poles is a transparent, honest business leader. He doesn’t indulge in tricks or games. He’s a straight shooter. His personality and reputation as a leader helped the Bears close a deal.
And that proved correct for trading the number 1.
Part of the reason pundits believe the Poles were able to strike a deal with the Carolina Panthers for the No. 1 is due to his relationship with Scott Fitterer. The two go way back. Both appeared as scouts in the NFL and saw each other frequently.
“Throughout the fall there are times when Ryan [Poles] performs some of his duties while he was in Kansas City,” Peter King said on NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Night In Chicago. “He would be traveling to the states of Kansas, Kansas and Iowa over the course of a week. And often he saw the same people on the street. And at this time, Scott Fitterer is a rising star scout with the Seattle Seahawks. So this was one of the guys he would see on the street quite often. . . And I think that’s the kind of relationship he’s developed with Scott Fitterer.”
MORE: NFL Analyst Says Relationship Between Poles, Fitterer Helped Bears
This earns the Poles a certain, unique respect from other general managers in the league. Of course, he doesn’t have the same close relationship with every GM in the NFL.
But by the looks of this deal, Poles have the respect and admiration of others to be treated fairly. And in return, other teams are willing to do business with him and the bears.
For the bears, trading the #1 came with an opportunity cost. In this case, the Poles exchanged compensation for time. Fixing the deal early gave the Poles a clearer picture of how the rest of the off-season would play out.
The Bears traded the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers seven weeks before the draft and days before the pick. With DJ Moore lined up and draft picks added to the war chest, Poles and the Bears had more time to come up with a more accurate plan for the offseason.
Based on the Poles’ work so far, the Bears are now set up with a vision for Bears 2023.
Source : sports.yahoo.com