It Seems Ryan Poles Might Not Be As Safe As Many Believe

There is turmoil within Halas Hall after yet another winnable game slipped away on Sunday. The Chicago Bears are left grasping for answers as they've now lost 22 of their last 28 games. At the top of the discussions is what awaits head coach Matt Eberflus. He is at the center of this misery, failing to offer any answers to his team's struggles. Most believe there is no way the organization could justify keeping him another year. However, the conversation may not end with him. GM Ryan Poles might not be safe, either.

Albert Breer of The MMQB stated on Wednesday that the odds are against Eberflus returning in 2024. He also hinted that Poles may not be on steady ground as well. New team president Kevin Warren may have plans to change the football operations, bringing in his own guys. It turns out he isn't the only one hearing those whispers. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN echoed a similar message in a recent column.

There is growing smoke around the possibility that Warren plans to reset everything.

"There's just so much that's unknown about this whole situation, including the job statuses of coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles. Depending on the way the rest of the season goes, the people who spend the next couple of months evaluating Fields might not be the people who get to decide his future with the franchise.

Yeah, that has to be sorted out before any determinations can be made, and the situation feels tenuous. Looming large is the hiring of team president Kevin Warren in January. How much influence will he have on those fates? Eberflus is 6-22 in Chicago -- it's hard for any coach to come back from that unless Warren and the organization have incredible patience."

Ryan Poles has a stronger case to stay than Eberflus.

While he was the one who hired the head coach, the young GM has at least done his primary job well. The Bears have steadily transformed into a younger and more athletic roster under his watch. They have talent at almost every position, especially the offensive line. While there are still depth concerns and some holes remain to be filled, it feels like Poles has them pointed in the right direction. If those young players finish the season strong, it might compel Warren to keep him in place while they collaborate on finding a new coach.

If a change does happen, the Bears president could go in any number of directions. He worked closely with former Vikings GM Rick Spielman for years. Tom Gamble, a top personnel man at Michigan, has lots of NFL experience. Vikings director of player personnel Ryan Monnens worked alongside Warren for 14 years. Washington GM Martin Mayhew worked with him in Detroit. The Bears president has some connections. Ryan Poles' fate will likely depend on how the final six games unfold.