Kevin Warren Said To Be Enamored With Top Coaching Candidate

GM Ryan Poles might be the point man on the Chicago Bears coaching search, but anybody with common sense knows team president Kevin Warren is a looming presence inside Halas Hall. Based on the structure George McCaskey has consistently laid out for years, it goes:

1. Owner,
2. President
3. GM
4. Head coach

That is the pecking order, which means Warren has more power in the building. That is why people found it difficult to accept his words when he insisted Poles had the final say on the next coach. There hasn't been any word on whether Warren is flexing his power as yet. The widespread belief is Poles wants to make a run at Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The reasoning is obvious. He wants to maximize his investment in quarterback Caleb Williams.

Warren? It appears he may not share the same intrigue. Longtime Chicago sports radio host George Ofman revealed that the Bears president is highly intrigued with another young coach. One who has ties to the team and is on the cusp of a historic achievement at his current job.

Kevin Warren loving Freeman isn't a surprise.

Ofman is not an insider by trade, but he's been connected to the local sports scene since 1992. He knows a lot of people. It feels unlikely he'd put this out unless he had it on pretty good authority. Besides, nobody should struggle to see this. Warren has deep ties to the college football world from his four years as the Big Ten commissioner. He likely knows several people connected to Freeman and has a good idea of what type of coach he is. There is no arguing the success he's had. In his three years coaching the Irish, he is 32-9 with five consecutive bowl/playoff victories. Notre Dame is now one win away from their first national title since 1988.

He's 39 years old and was drafted by the Bears in 2009. It is easy to see why Kevin Warren would fall in love with that. The problem is whether he can lure Freeman to Chicago. The coach just signed a contract extension paying him $10 million a year. The Bears would not only have to top that but also guarantee him considerable power within the organization. That might not be something Poles is keen on letting happen. That means either a compromise must be reached, or Warren must fire Poles if he's truly determined to get his guy.

Neither seems plausible at this stage.