Ryan Poles signed a contract extension last month, lining his deal up with head coach Ben Johnson. Many took it as a clear indication that the Chicago Bears were satisfied with his work. In reality, new details trickling out of Halas Hall suggest this move was less about the quality of work and more about stability. Some inside the building believe head coach Ben Johnson is now calling the shots. He has final say on personnel decisions, while Poles plays more of a supporting role, doing the legwork while Johnson focuses on coaching during the season.
One would think Poles is safe for the time being. However, there are indications that his seat is hardly cooled off. Tyler Dunne of Go Long released his third and final part of an in-depth exposé on the Bears’ GM and quarterback Caleb Williams. In it, he mentions that somebody else in the front office is gaining a stronger voice. That is senior director of player personnel Jeff King. Some see him as the corrective force in the personnel department, the actual right-hand man to Poles and perhaps, under the right circumstances, his heir apparent.
Sources inside the building believe Johnson is already pulling the personnel strings and are encouraged by King’s growing voice…
…King’s growing influence in the front office is also a good sign. He’s been steadily rising up the ranks in the Bears front office since 2015 — has seen grave mistakes up close — and draws high marks around the league.
Ryan Poles should absolutely be nervous about King.
While there is no reason to suspect the personnel director is trying to squeeze the GM out, it’s worth noting that people have gravitated to him inside the building. He’s providing results. King was the man primarily responsible for bringing Tyson Bagent to Chicago. The young quarterback is hugely popular with everyone there. King also played a central part in key free agent additions like T.J. Edwards, Andrew Billings, DeMarcus Walker, and Kevin Byard.
There is also the most important factor people forgot: King and Johnson are friends.
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They’ve known each other since both were quarterbacks in the ACC years ago. They stayed in touch, and King was said to be instrumental in selling the Bears’ job to Johnson. That familiarity can’t be discounted. Ryan Poles is under a lot of pressure to win. He built most of this roster. If things go badly enough, Johnson may push for a change, and King is the obvious candidate to ascend.
