Team president Kevin Warren arrived in January and took power in April. Everybody thought he was only hired to give the Chicago Bears a new stadium. Yes, but that is only part of it. George McCaskey made it clear Warren was a serious power broker in Halas Hall. Everybody in the building would answer to him, including GM Ryan Poles. In the months since Warren has steadily evaluated every level of the Bears operation. He's working hard to get a sense of how the organization operates and where changes might be needed.
That includes the football operations. He had no say in Poles' hiring, as well as head coach Matt Eberflus'. As the team sits at 4-8 with some ugly moments over the past couple of months, there is an undercurrent of belief that changes are coming. What isn't clear is how high they may go. Eberflus is on the hottest seat, but some feel Poles isn't safe either. Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron asked Bears insider Brad Biggs about the situation. From what he's gathered, the young GM isn't going anywhere.
"Based on what I've seen and heard, Ryan Poles and Kevin Warren have a strong working relationship that they're probably still developing. Kevin hasn't been in the building for all that long. He was hired last January and didn't start until April, right? So I think they've probably hit it off to start with...I would think Poles is okay. More than okay. I think Poles is on solid ground right now with Kevin Warren, with George McCaskey."
Ryan Poles seems to have made a good impression.
That isn't a surprise. There is evidence on the field. Several of his acquisitions, especially D.J. Moore and Montez Sweat, have played well down the stretch. The two big trade additions are in line to make the Pro Bowl and have elevated the team to more competitive football of late. On top of that, several of Poles' draft picks are starting to blossom. Jaquan Brisker, Kyler Gordon, Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, and Tyrique Stevenson all look like solid starters. Gervon Dexter and Terell Smith have also flashed serious potential.
It feels like the team is pointed in the right direction. They could be one more strong off-season away from a playoff run. Much of it depends on if they can find some consistency at quarterback and if they secure a quality head coach. Eberflus may save himself with a few wins down the stretch, but all indications are he's in trouble. The fact is that whatever happens, Ryan Poles will be involved in the important decisions. He passed his test. Odds are he will begin the hunt for a new quarterback. Warren could assist him in searching for a new coach as well.
