The Chicago Bears are one week away from rookies reporting for training camp. Excitement is building. Everything seems to be in place. Ben Johnson and his coaching staff are already earning rave reviews for their tough, disciplined approach. Caleb Williams is showing signs of serious progress, while the revamped offensive line seems ready and eager to get started. Unfortunately, there is always a but coming in these situations. Despite no serious concerns with the roster itself, one issue remains unresolved.

In recent weeks, it’s been well documented that the NFL and several player agents are locked in a bitter contract dispute. The dispute centers on the desire for players selected in the second round, who have lower contract numbers than the first round, to get their deals fully guaranteed. The NFL, which was recently caught in a collusion case for conspiring to prevent such contracts, has resisted. Thus, a standoff remains ongoing. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, there is no end in sight.

This development especially threatens the Chicago Bears.

They have the most to lose because they selected three players in the second round: Luther Burden, Ozzy Trapilo, and Shemar Turner. Burden is already behind on practice time because of a soft tissue injury in the spring. Trapilo is in the middle of competing for the starting left tackle spot. Turner is a key part of the team’s defensive line plans. Not having any of them ready to go when camp begins would be a huge setback for the Chicago Bears.

It is hard to know which side wins this. The players understandably want more guarantees, giving themselves security against injuries. However, holding out like this is incredibly dangerous for rookies because they face a steep learning curve. Second round picks don’t get nearly the same preferential treatment as first rounders. Their hopes of playing at all this season will drop significantly with each training camp practice they miss. This is a game of who blinks first.

One thing to remember about former players is that they have more knowledge and experience than most current players. That gives them some credibility when making assessments about teams. That goes for coaches, especially. Lance Briggs experienced the full spectrum of Chicago Bears history in one career. He started with the well-liked but ineffective Dick Jauron. Then he enjoyed a long run with the dependable Lovie Smith. Things then concluded with the completely overmatched Marc Trestman. So Briggs seems qualified to assess what the Bears have with Ben Johnson.

He and former teammates Jason McKie and Jerry Azumah discussed it on CHGO Bears After Dark. Suffice it to say, their first impressions of Johnson and his staff were unexpected. Johnson’s intensity and attention to detail stuck out immediately. He was relentless in his approach. It wasn’t limited to him either. His assistants were equally demanding of players, constantly correcting them for poor footwork, technique, and effort. It was quite the revelation for men who’d seen some rough years out of Halas Hall in the past decade.

Ben Johnson is doing it the right way.

The hardest part of being a head coach isn’t the Xs and Os. It is never allowing your players to rest. You must be on top of them every single day. The moment they sense you slacking, they will do the same. It is just the natural way of things. Ben Johnson understands that. To be a great head coach, you must be able to motivate guys and be willing to be a bit of a prick sometimes. It is okay if players don’t like you. What matters is that they respect you and do what you instruct them to. That is the problem that befell each coach for the past 13 years. Trestman didn’t have a firm enough hand. John Fox was aging and lacked his former energy. Matt Nagy had the energy, but never built a great staff. Matt Eberflus had issues with both.

Ryan Poles is a somewhat polarizing figure among Chicago Bears fans. For the most part, he operates in a way people like and respect. He’s honest and forthright with his answers to the media. He doesn’t throw away draft picks in needlessly aggressive trades, as some of his predecessors have. While Poles has made some mistakes, everything about his process feels sound. Unfortunately, the one issue has been the most important: he’s not winning enough games. Chicago has just 15 wins in its first three seasons.

That inescapable truth led many to urge the Bears to remove the GM this offseason, along with former head coach Matt Eberflus. Ownership decided against it. They felt Poles had done enough with the roster to justify more time. He’d be given a chance to find a better coach and hopefully complete the rebuild he started in 2022. There was one pressing concern. Reports indicated Poles’ contract hadn’t been extended. This would mean he’d possibly leave the team after the 2025 season, which makes letting him hire the next coach incredibly negligent.

Thankfully, it appears that problem is now solved. According to multiple insiders, Poles received a contract extension. He and head coach Ben Johnson are now aligned for the next five years.

The real clock is now ticking for Ryan Poles.

There are no more excuses of a rebuild. He’s had three years to overhaul the roster and is already on his second head coach. His hand-picked quarterback is in place. This team should already be trending towards success, not coming off another bad season. Other general managers don’t get this much leeway. Ryan Poles. Asking Chicago fans to be patient is neither fair nor realistic. They’ve endured 12 seasons in which their team had a winning record once. That is not something any fanbase should have to accept, much less one of the most prestigious franchises in NFL history. Poles might have a good process, but that isn’t much good if he doesn’t start hitting on some of these players he’s assembled. So much hope is being placed on this new coaching staff. The backlash won’t be good if the Bears stumble again.