Chicago Bears 2022 NFL Draft: Poles Again Goes With Defense

Despite needing help at wide receiver and offensive line, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles goes with defense again, selecting safety Jaquan Brisker.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles certainly isn’t concerned with what most people think he should do in the 2022 NFL Draft. Analysts and fans alike kept pounding the idea of the Bears needing to solidify the wide receiver and offensive line units.

Instead, Poles went out and strengthened the defense, especially the secondary. He selected safety Jaquan Brisker with the 48th overall pick.

Last season the Bears’ secondary was pretty bad. There were too many missed assignments and too many missed tackles. They were fortunate with how well the defensive front got to the quarterback. Poles likely doesn’t feel the pressure will be there again this season.

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Poles certainly likes tough players and he has one in Brisker. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, he can play at the slot and take on bigger receivers or tight ends. Additionally, he could play either the free or strong safety spot.

One of the problems the Bears had last season was stopping the run. With the picks of Kyler Gordon and now Brisker, that should change. Both are good run stoppers.

Brisker worked hard to improve. He was a hesitant player his freshman season. By 2021, he was a very good instinctive player. This is something Poles really likes in players. He loves the hard-working, physical players with high motors.

Brisker is able to read the receiver and/or quarterback and anticipate the route. He has good footwork that allows him to keep up with the receiver on the route. Additionally, he is able to attack and get rid of perimeter blockers.

When blitzing, Brisker has a good burst and is able to bend at the edge. He is a violent tackler who goes through the ball carrier. He’ll make some big hits and the fans will like that.

At Penn State, he started 21 games in three seasons He recorded 153 tackles (9.5 for loss), 5 interceptions, 14 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery. Last season, he became the third Penn State defensive back since 2000 to record at least 5.5 TFLs in a season.

While many people expected Poles to build the offense in this draft, he is rebuilding the defense. We may continue to see the offense struggle to help out the defense again. The more things change, the more they stay the same is the saying, right?