NEWSLETTER
Reporters emptying their notebooks after the NFL Draft makes the Monday after the dust settles one of my favorite days of the year.
And while I figured we would get some good Chicago Bears anecdotes, I didn’t see this one coming.
The MMQB’s Albert Breer has the behind-the-scenes story on the Atlanta Falcons draft-day selection of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., which sent shockwaves throughout the league — and essentially hand-delivered Rome Odunze to the Bears one pick later. Breer’s piece also features anecdotes about how the Minnesota Vikings came around to snagging J.J. McCarthy and what into the Denver Broncos decision to saddle up with Bo Nix. But Breer reporting that the Falcons search for quarterback change (which many presumed was over the moment they signed Kirk Cousins in free agency) included a conversation with the Bears (FOR THE NO. 1 OVERALL PICK):
As part of the plan, the Falcons investigated trading up in Indy. They got flat-out no’s from the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders. The response from the New England Patriots, on the third pick, was similar, and the Arizona Cardinals told Fontenot that they wouldn’t move the fourth pick until they were on the clock two months later, which only emboldened Atlanta in its plan to pursue Cousins.
Two weeks after landing the ex-Viking, and with the team still evaluating Penix and the other quarterbacks, assistant GM Kyle Smith led a small group of Falcons scouts to Seattle for the Huskies’ March 28 pro day. After Penix ran in the 4.5s in the 40-yard dash on his twice-surgically-paired knee, Smith texted Fontenot—He just ran fast. This guy is gonna go quick. There’d be no waiting to get him in the second round.
Wow! The Atlanta Falcons were scheming to pluck Michael Penix Jr. in the draft even after signing Cousins to a whopper of a contract. But more than that, Atlanta was so serious about trading up to draft a quarterback that it reached out to the Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, and Chicago Bears. Who saw that coming?
All of a sudden, Bears GM Ryan Poles’ draft night reaction makes sense
My initial reaction to reading the news from Breer was uncontrollable laugher. Getting a flat no from the Bears regarding a trade-back means the Falcons were probably among the first folks outside of Halas Hall to know that (1) Justin Fields was on his way out and (2) that Caleb Williams was going to Chicago. Heck, now that I’m writing it out, I’m realizing why the Atlanta should’ve never been seen as a landing spot for Fields. Because if that team was hell-bent on finding a long-term option, trading for Fields as a bridge was never going to make sense. Not with both quarterbacks being in similar age ranges. But I digress.
Anyway, my secondary reaction went something along the lines of “Welp, you can’t blame them for trying.” When it comes to trade, my M.O. is you can’t get what you don’t ask for and I feel as if that was on Atlanta’s mind as it was trying to trade to get into the top-3 and pick from Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels.
However, my tertiary reaction was like a record scratch-freeze frame moment. Because, suddenly, Bears General Manager Ryan Poles’ reaction to a question about when he realized that he would be able to draft Rome Odunze makes sense.
During this Thursday night press conference after Round 1, Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles explained what was going on in his head as he waited to make the No. 9 pick. When asked if the Falcons pick of Penix changed where his head was at before he could make the selection and take Odunze, Poles chuckled before delivering an eloquent answer that spared Atlanta of any further embarrassment. But the damage was done. Poles’ reaction spoke louder than any words could. The exchange begins around the 11-minute mark here. Or you could watch the full video below if you’d truly like more from Chicago’s general manager:
MORE: The Story Behind the Michael Penix Jr. Pick is One Bears Fans Know All Too Well
In the end, I just can’t shake how this has blown my mind. Not just because of the magnitude of the situation, but also because of how it reminds me of the Bears’ failed pursuits for quarterback upgrades during the Ryan Pace era. And that is top of mind knowing that Pace is in a position of power in Atlanta.
Remember that offseason when Chicago was reportedly in on swinging a trade for the likes of Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz, and Russell Wilson only to be spurned at each turn? And do you remember how the Bears ended up drafting QB4 in that class? History repeats itself in weird ways. Because even though Atlanta reeled in the big fish (Cousins) in free agency, it still ended up drafting the fourth quarterback in this class. Football is weird.
