The Chicago Bears have had trouble finding a good GM for years. Jerry Angelo was solid for a time but didn’t quite finish the job in the 2000s. Phil Emery was a train wreck. Ryan Pace? He seemed to have the right plan but just executed it poorly. Too many missed draft picks. Especially on the offense side headlined by Mitch Trubisky. Now the McCaskey family has to think about going back on the market for someone new.
The problem is this family isn’t exactly steeped in football history. They’re nothing more than fans. None of them have actual backgrounds in football. So they really don’t have any idea where to look for quality executives. Hence why they keep hiring search firms and consultants to help. Maybe it’s time to stop messing around and employ a tactic George Halas himself used.
Steal somebody proven from another team.
Back in 1974, Jim Finks was the vice president for the Minnesota Vikings. He’d built a team that had just reached the Super Bowl the year before. There was really no reason for him to leave. Halas decided to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse. That being both the title of GM and also executive vice president. Finks accepted and eventually built the roster that won the Super Bowl in 1985.
Maybe it’s time to explore this strategy again. The Bears looking to the GM from another team and making a strong push to pry them away. One name that could actually be gettable? Los Angeles Chargers GM Tom Telesco. Despite building one of the more talented rosters in the NFL, the struggles of the Chargers this year has some wondering if the 48-year old is in trouble. Albert Breer of the MMQB confirmed as much.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
“That said, I’m not sure Telesco is 100% safe. I think some of that might ride on whoever the next coach is in L.A. But some of the early names I’ve heard there—Bills OC Brian Daboll and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels—do have ties to Telesco, which could subtly help those coaches, and Telesco, in the process. If they go with someone not tied in any way to Telesco, that obviously could change some things.”
Chicago Bears would love what Telesco brings to the table
He got his first taste of success as a scout in Indianapolis where he worked under the great Bill Polian from 1998 to 2011. During that time he rose from area scout all the way to Director of Player Personnel. When he held that job from 2006 to 2012, the Colts enjoyed some quality drafts. Some names they added to the roster included Tim Jenning, Antoine Bethea, Anthony Castonzo, Andrew Luck, and T.Y. Hilton.
In 2013, the Chargers made him their GM. His track record since has been remarkably consistent when it comes to churning out quality talent.
- Keenan Allen
- Jason Verrett
- Melvin Gordon
- Joey Bosa
- Hunter Henry
- Mike Williams
- Desmond King
- Derwin James
- Justin Herbert
His teams made the playoffs twice in 2013 and 2018, winning a playoff game on each trip. They also finished with a winning record in two other seasons. Telesco knows how to build a roster. Especially on the offensive side. This is what should intrigue the Chicago Bears most. His ability to identify franchise quarterbacks like Luck and Herbert.
If he isn’t feeling safe in L.A., the McCaskeys might be able to lure him out of town with a job offer. Maybe even a promotion of some kind like the president of football operations. Presuming Ted Phillips is out of the picture of course. This man has a wealth of experience already running his own team. He’s still young too. There are plenty of reasons to like this idea.
