Kevin Warren insisted GM Ryan Poles would be part of the Chicago Bears’ efforts to find a new head coach for next year. Most took that as a sign that things were set. If anybody remembers how the NFL works, it is that things can change fast. In October, Matt Eberflus was beyond safe with his team 4-2 and cruising into the bye weeks. Less than two months later, he was fired. Assuming Poles is safe might be misguided, especially after watching the roster he built get thoroughly demolished in San Francisco.
Such a humiliating outcome suggests that the problems with this team run much deeper than the coach. Players felt Eberflus was the problem, so he was removed. They responded with their worst effort of the season, losing 38-13 in a game they trailed 24-0 at halftime. It was never a contest. Eyes are shifting to Poles. He built most of this roster, drafting, signing, and trading for almost everybody. Should he really be safe at this point? It is possible he might not be. Adam Jahns of The Athletic dropped a bombshell regarding the GM’s situation.
Apparently, he only signed a four-year contract with the Bears in 2022, meaning 2025 will be his last year. There is no way the Bears will let a lame-duck GM hire the next coach. That indicates one of two things. Either they sign him to an extension, or they fire him. With only a month left in the season, no extension has happened.
Ryan Poles is running out of ground to stand on.
The head coach he hired was a disaster. His team hasn’t had a winning season in any of his three years, and the offensive line is a disaster. At this stage, the only bright spot is that he may have gotten the quarterback right with Caleb Williams, but like many previous Bears GMs, he dropped him into a chaotic situation with a poor developmental plan. It’s not like Poles scored a big steal. He basically lucked into the #1 overall pick, thanks to the trade with Carolina from the previous year. That made his job much easier.
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Most of the best players on this roster were acquired from other teams, not the draft. When this is the case, it is an unwelcome sign that the GM may not have the sharpest eye for talent. Ryan Poles is a smart man. He’s managed to overhaul the roster completely and make it at least competitive with the rest of the division. The biggest issue is that he never established a true winning culture. That goes back to his pivotal choice of head coach three years ago. Can the Bears trust him to get it right this time? It seems as if they’re having second thoughts.
