The process remains ongoing but it appears the details surrounding the Chicago Bears are finally starting to trickle out. One of the X-factors in their entire process was Bill Polian. Team chairman George McCaskey said he and the organization would be leaning on the Hall of Fame executive for guidance in their search for a new GM and head coach. Since then the net has been cast wide, interviewing several candidates for both jobs.
However, there may be favorites in the mix now. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the belief from his sources is that Polian has championed the pairing of Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown as the men to lead the Bears forward. Things appear to have changed somewhat though thanks to an excellent interview with Chiefs director of player personnel Ryan Poles.
Enough to where he’s the first GM option to get a second interview.
There's a lot of talk Bill Polian was pushing for a Matt Eberflus/Morocco Brown combo for the #Bears but Ryan Poles has absolutely impressed them. He's firmly in the mix. https://t.co/tKnQ6IT5Eu
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 22, 2022
Eberflus and Brown were scheduled to interview on the same day. This coming Monday. That has now changed. Brown will still get his first meeting with the Bears, but Eberflus was postponed to Wednesday. This enabled the team to meet with Steelers candidate Omar Khan and also slip in that second meeting with Poles. Not to mention a late coach addition in Dennis Allen. From all the signs to this point, it is apparent the initial plan Bill Polian may have had seemed to have changed.
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There are still multiple GM candidates that haven’t gotten their first interview yet. JoJo Wooden of the Chargers and Joe Hortiz of the Ravens among them. While Brown might have prior ties to the Bears, it doesn’t seem safe to call him the favorite for that job yet. Especially since Poles is the only one to earn a second look. The same goes for Eberflus on the coaching front. Many believe the Colts defensive coordinator is the favorite for the Jacksonville Jaguars job as well.
Needless to say, this remains a fluid situation.