Bear Digest

Report Creates Questions Over Future for GM Ryan Poles

A report by The Athletic says Ryan Poles' contract is only four years, meaning he'll need a contract extension sometime in 2025, among other things.

Gene Chamberlain

Ryan Poles and Kevin Warren discuss the future after the firing of Matt Eberflus.
Ryan Poles and Kevin Warren discuss the future after the firing of Matt Eberflus. / Photo: Chicago Bears Video
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The immediate future of the Bears is apparently a little more murky than anyone imagined.

To some, it means Ryan Poles could be in trouble. However, it could simply mean he'll need to prove he can work with whoever it is he and Kevin Warren pick as the new head coach.

On a podcast, The Athletic's Adam Jahns reported Monday that Poles' contract is only for four years. This means it expires after 2025.

The Bears had given former head coach Matt Eberflus a five-year deal and the GM a shorter contract. There could be any number of reasons for this, such as easier succession. They wouldn't be spending too much on the wrong person.

Most coaches want some kind of assurance they'll be working with a stable GM situation when they sign. If Poles only has a year left and his future is uncertain, then it's anything but clear for the new coach who he'll be working with as GM during the next few years. That is, unless they give Poles an extension.

On the other hand, it could also mean they simply plan to not bring Poles back for the last year of his contract and will hire a new GM, either in conjunction with the coach or it will be a case where the new coach has a say in who the new GM is.

This would be extremely unlikely because they're letting Poles pick out the next coach. If they didn't want him around for this, then the smart thing would be to fire him now.

It does occasionally happen where a head coach is involved in the hiring of the GM or has a say in it. Usually coaches with long-established seniority like Bill Belichick was with New England or Andy Reid with the Chiefs wouldn't want ownership hiring a personnel boss who they didn't have a say in hiring.

But expecting that in this case with an in-coming coach seems unlikely. Team president Kevin Warren already said at their press conference that Poles would be the point man on the coach hiring and would be their GM going forward.

"The next item I want to make sure we are clear about is Ryan Poles is the general manager of the Chicago Bears and he will remain the general manager of the Chicago Bears," Warren said. "Ryan is young, he is talented, he is bright, he is hard working, he has done everything in his power on a daily basis to bring a winner to Chicago. I am confident in Ryan; my faith remains strong in Ryan.

"As leader of our football operations department and as our general manager Ryan will serve as the point person on our upcoming search for a permanent head football coach. We will work in tandem. We will work closely. We will work together on a daily basis to make sure we bring the best person to the Chicago Bears are our permanent head football coach."

Warren comes across as a bold-faced liar if the plan is actually to fire Poles, and let the new head coach decide on his own personnel guy.

So when Poles is done finding his coach, expect he'll get an extension. If that isn't what happens, then the Bears' front office situation is even more messed up than many people already believe.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.