Ryan Poles had a plan when he took over the Chicago Bears in January of 2022. He knew what he wanted to do. He would deconstruct the roster, free up resources, and build it primarily through the draft. It's not a bad plan. Most great teams find sustained success this way. All Poles needed was the right man to lead the charge. He settled on Matt Eberflus. That decision is having dire consequences. The former defensive coordinator is now 3-17 running the team, the worst 20-game start for any coach in Bears history.
Yet it's not only that. His tenure has been marked by the regression of Justin Fields at quarterback and one of the worst defenses the organization has ever put on the field. Nobody would dare think Poles can get fired after only two years, but his choice of Eberflus is entering the Marc Trestman range of disasters. Can the Bears justify keeping him around to pick another coach, especially since none of his draft picks have really stood out as special thus far?
If Kevin Warren does convince the McCaskeys to make a change, here are some names to watch.
If Ryan Poles is out, these are the names to watch.
Second-chance options:
Jeff Ireland (New Orleans Saints assistant GM)
His first stint as a GM came in 2008 with the Miami Dolphins. He held that job until 2015. Ireland added a steady stream of quality talent during that run, including nine eventual Pro Bowlers. Jake Long, Jarvis Landry, and Mike Pouncey were among the most prominent. Like many others, he never got the head coach right. Still, he landed on his feet in New Orleans. The Saints nailed three Pro Bowl talents in their first draft following his arrival in 2017, headlined by Marshon Lattimore and Alvin Kamara. It's worth noting Ireland's grandfather was Jim Parmer, a former Bears scouting director who helped build the 1985 team.
John Dorsey (Detroit Lions senior executive)
He's already been GM for two organizations and left both under strange circumstances. Kansas City was because he didn't communicate well with ownership. Cleveland was because he made a bad decision hiring Freddie Kitchens as head coach. However, nobody can deny one thing. Dorsey is an excellent talent evaluator. He built the foundation of the Chiefs dynasty with names like Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Tyreek Hill. He nailed Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb in 2018 for the Browns. Baker Mayfield is resurging as well. Since joining the Lions in 2021, they've added Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Aidan Hutchinson.
Brian Xanders (Los Angeles Rams senior executive)
One of the forgotten names in the industry, and the Rams are grateful for it. Xanders quietly did excellent work as GM for Denver from 2009 through 2012. His picks of Demaryius Thomas, Von Miller, Malik Jackson, and Danny Trevathan helped lay the foundation for the Broncos' eventual Super Bowl title in 2015. He joined Detroit as a senior executive in 2013 and helped them score names like Ezekiel Ansah, Darius Slay, Larry Warford, and Quandre Diggs. Since joining the Rams in 2017, he was instrumental in helping them find quality pieces to fill out a roster that won the Super Bowl in 2021.
Reggie McKenzie (Miami Dolphins senior executive)
Hindsight has been kind to the former Raiders GM. He was run out of town once Jon Gruden got hired in 2018. The team hasn't exactly done well since then. McKenzie scored some really good players during his rebuild process, headlined by Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, and Amari Cooper. Things have worked out well for him. He joined the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and has helped forge them into one of the most talented rosters in the league, led by Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, and Jevon Holland.
Hottest names:
Adam Peters (San Francisco 49ers assistant GM)
The 49ers have arguably the best all-around roster in the NFL, and it's showing in how dominant they've been. They have talent everywhere, most of it coming via the draft with guys like Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel. Peters was there for the entire building process. His ascent to assistant GM probably isn't an accident. The 49ers value him greatly. He was a prominent scout for the Denver Broncos in the early-to-mid 2010s when they constructed their eventual 2015 Super Bowl championship team. Success follows him.
Andy Weidl (Pittsburgh Steelers assistant GM)
This man has carved his teeth with the best organizations in the NFL: Baltimore, Philadelphia, and now Pittsburgh. He was reportedly a central figure in the Eagles' construction of their two Super Bowl rosters, securing names like Dallas Goedert, Josh Sweat, Miles Sanders, Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and Landon Dickerson. His first class in Pittsburgh as their assistant GM shows plenty of early promise. This man has been groomed by the best general managers in the business. He's ready for his shot.
JoJo Wooden (Los Angeles Chargers director of player personnel)
Nobody can deny the Chargers have consistently drafted well for the past decade under GM Tom Telesco. Wooden was his right-hand man during that entire process. In that time, L.A. has landed stars like Keenan Allen, Joey Bosa, Derwin James, and Justin Herbert, along with several other solid players. He was also a big part of the New York Jets the last time they had a competitive team in the late 2000s. His scouting eye appears to be sharp, and he's long been overlooked for an opportunity.
John Spytek (Tampa Bay Buccaneers vice president of player personnel)
The fact Tampa Bay has promoted Spytek twice since 2016 should tell you how much they value him. He's been the wingman to GM Jason Licht for years. Additions like Chris Godwin, Vita Vea, Devin White, Tristan Wirf, and Antoine Winfield Jr. were instrumental in building the roster that lured Tom Brady to the Buccaneers. That culminated in a Super Bowl title in 2020. Since then, Tampa Bay has maintained control of the AFC South division and seems to continue adding good players each year.
Jon-Eric Sullivan (Green Bay Packers vice president of player personnel)
Teams have always seemed to benefit from plucking from the Packers for front office help. It is beyond strange the Bears haven't tried this at least once, considering how consistently dominant Green Bay has been over them for 30 years. Sullivan is one of their top evaluators, earning multiple promotions in recent years. He's been a central part of selecting guys like Kenny Clark, Aaron Jones, Jaire Alexander, Rashan Gary, Elgton Jenkins, Devonte Wyatt, and Christian Watson. Not to mention Jordan Love.
Trey Brown (Cincinnati Bengals senior executive)
One of the more unique careers on this list. It started normal. Brown came up as a scout in New England before joining the Eagles front office in 2016, helping them set the stage for their Super Bowl title the next year. Then, he spent 2019 and 2020 as a top executive for the AAFC's Birmingham Iron and XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks. So he understands how to build rosters from scratch. Both teams finished with winning records. He soon joined the Bengals in 2021, the same year they added Ja'Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson, setting the stage for their Super Bowl run. A far cry from the Ryan Poles approach.
Joe Hortiz (Baltimore Ravens director of player personnel)
No team has been more consistently excellent at drafting and developing competitive rosters without the benefit of a Hall of Fame quarterback than Baltimore. Hortiz has served in their system for well over a decade, helping to secure many quality players like Kelechi Osemele, Ryan Jensen, C.J. Mosley, Za'Darius Smith, Matt Judon, Marlon Humphrey, Lamar Jackson, and Mark Andrews. He isn't anything flashy in front of the media, but Hortiz understands what it takes to construct a competitive roster.
Jim Nagy (Senior Bowl director)
This is a name that hasn't gotten much traction in GM circles, which is surprising. Nagy was a regional scout for the Patriots during their first dynasty run in the 2000s. Then he was one for Seattle when they won the Super Bowl in 2013. He's remained fully invested in the draft process thanks to his work at the Senior Bowl and has rubbed shoulders with every NFL executive in the business. If anybody is prepared for an opportunity to be a GM, it would be him. He would certainly know the right people to hire as front office assistants.
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