Black Friday is known as the biggest shopping day of the year, and since general manager Ryan Poles took over, few teams have been as aggressive buyers in the NFL as the Chicago Bears.
The Bears have made a habit of throwing money around during free agency since Poles was hired in 2022, but they’ve also emphasized acquiring and developing draft picks. While selecting a player doesn’t cost much (in NFL terms) on a rookie scale contract, it's still an investment any time teams still take a player in the draft.
When that player doesn’t work out, there’s a sense of buyer’s remorse. With Black Friday upon us, the Bears have to be feeling it with Ruben Hyppolite, who has been ruled out of the Week 13 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain.
Bears Already Regretting Ruben Hyppolite Pick as Other Rookies Shine
A fourth-round pick by the Bears in April’s draft, Hyppolite was expected to add depth at middle linebacker. With injuries to T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, and Noah Sewell, he got his first chance to start in last week’s game against the New York Giants, but he left early with a knee injury, did not return. Now, he will miss Friday’s matchup in Philadelphia.
Injuries are part of the game, and for a player navigating his rookie season, the Bears could give him some grace here. But the remorse comes in with the players they could have taken in Hyppolite’s place.
One player who could have helped the Bears is Shemar James, who was taken in the fifth round by the Dallas Cowboys. The Florida product was selected 20 picks after Hyppolite but has appeared in eight games with four starts in his rookie year. In addition, James has been more effective when on the field, racking up 58 total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble.
The New York Jets also got a better player than Hyppolite, 10 picks after James went off the board. Francisco Mauigoa has also found his way onto the field, appearing in 10 games and making six starts in his rookie season. Like James, Mauioga has been more than just an opportunity, making 38 total tackles.
While neither player has been a lights-out addition, it would have been better than what the Bears have now. Hyppolite has just six total tackles in seven games, and although Chicago was not expecting him to take a starting role, his status of being one play away from seeing the field has to bring a share of disappointment for a fourth-round pick.
Thus far, the Bears would probably be looking for their receipt if they had one to make an exchange. Instead, Poles and the rest of the front office have to smile and hope that Hyppolite makes improvements when he returns to the field.