Chicago Bears Add Big-Time Legacy Name To Scouting Department

One thing about Ryan Poles as GM is he understands the value of giving young guys a shot to make it in scouting. That is what happened to him. He was a former player in 2009 with no direction in his sports career. However, a chance opportunity with the Kansas City Chiefs landed him an internship. He turned that into a full-time job and, within the next 12 years, had become one of the youngest GMs in the NFL. Now the Chicago Bears' leading man is looking to do the same for others.

Recent buzz revealed the team is adding Deron Johnson Jr. to their scouting department. He is a former linebacker for Tennessee State University. It's possible they got a recommendation from Eddie George, who recently visited during rookie minicamps and is the head coach of that program. It also probably helps that Johnson is the son of Deron Johnson Sr., a respected scout for the Minnesota Twins going back over 30 years. He was their scouting director from 2007 through 2016, helping them acquire eventual All-Stars like Byron Buxton, Jose Berrios, Miguel Sano, and Brian Dozier.

The Chicago Bears remembered an important lesson.

Scouting is scouting. It doesn't have to be specific to sports. Guys that had success in football can also succeed in baseball, and vice versa. Don't believe it? Jim Finks built the Chicago Bears into a Super Bowl champion with his work in the 1970s and early 1980s. Then he left in 1983, took over the Chicago Cubs, and got them to the ALCS in his first and only full season with them. Mickey Loomis has produced several winning seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Most don't remember he also oversaw the New Orleans Pelicans, building them into a playoff team in the mid-2010s.

While Johnson's father may have made his name in baseball, he undoubtedly taught his son many keys to the job that can be applied in any sport. Those lessons can be put to great use with the Chicago Bears. It doesn't hurt he played the game at the college level. So he has a baseline of experience to lean on. It comes down to how many hours he's willing to put in. Poles was relentless in his approach. That is a big reason he received promotions constantly. Johnson has the talent in his blood. It will be interesting to see what he does with the opportunity.