The past decade has been a miserable existence for Chicago Bears fans. It seems like every year, there has been either controversy or heartbreak to endure. Nothing about the past ten years has been normal. It’s unbelievable to think 2023 might somehow be the lowest point yet. The Bears are 0-2 and endured a stretch on Wednesday where the QB called out the coaches for his struggles, and the defensive coordinator resigned. GM Ryan Poles said it best. They’re going through adversity. If that wasn’t bad enough, they visit Kansas City on Sunday. New team president Kevin Warren has to be wondering what he signed up for.
The man said he’s here to win championships. That must feel like a herculean task at this point. Nothing about this organization says “stability.” It’s a dumpster fire and has been for a long time. Part of the problem has been their lack of continuity at the three most important spots in the organization. Adam Jahns of The Athletic summed it up perfectly.
“This is firing Lovie Smith after a 10-6 season. This is sticking Cutler with six offensive coordinators: Ron Turner, Mike Martz, Mike Tice, Trestman/Kromer, Gase and Loggains.
This is firing general manager Phil Emery less than a year after allowing him to sign Cutler to a massive contract extension that included guaranteed money that carried over into the Ryan Pace era.
This is Pace trading up and drafting Trubisky without the blessing of head coach John Fox.
And this is allowing Pace and Nagy to trade up and draft Fields in 2021 only to fire both of them after Fields’ rookie season…
…Only once under chairman George McCaskey’s leadership have three most important people in a football organization — the GM, the head coach and the quarterback — aligned as one. That was 2021 when Fields was drafted.”
Warren is watching the same situation play out again.
Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus replaced Pace and Nagy after one year, inheriting Fields in the process. They had no say in drafting him but accepted the challenge of trying to develop him. That hasn’t gone as planned. Logic dictates Fields will likely be gone next year, allowing Poles and Eberflus to pick their own guy. Except there’s one problem. What if the Bears have another losing season in 2024? They’re already on track for a second this year after going 3-14 in 2022. There is every likelihood Poles and Eberflus could be dumped in such a case, once again leaving the next quarterback in the hands of people who didn’t pick him.
Kevin Warren has one choice to make. He must completely reset.
This may sound premature to many. While Fields is an understandable sacrifice, as may Eberflus, some are reluctant to abandon Poles. Outside of the Eberflus hire and one or two other moves, he’s demonstrated the kind of leadership and off-season approach that good GMs usually have. While a fair assessment, it doesn’t erase the reality. Warren had no say in his hiring last year. The two seem to have a solid relationship, but the only way to give this franchise a fresh start is by clearing out all three jobs simultaneously.
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That means a new GM, head coach, and quarterback in 2024. The closest this ever came to happening was in 1975. Jim Finks had arrived in September of 1974 as the new GM. Jack Pardee was hired as head coach the subsequent off-season and Bob Avellini was drafted at quarterback a few months later. Avellini was a 6th round pick, mind you. Yet the Bears still went from bottom dweller to playoff team in Year 3. Alignment at the top is vital to franchise stability. This organization hasn’t had it for decades. Kevin Warren finally has the authority to bring it back.
