The Chicago Bears appear to be doubling down on current leadership, as reports indicate that current general manager Ryan Poles has agreed to a new contract extension. Hired in 2022, Poles has overseen the Bears’ recent rebuild.
According to Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports, the Chicago Bears have agreed on a brand new deal for Ryan Poles, a deal that will keep him in Chicago until 2029. Poles has earned strong support from ownership and within the building, and it seems that Chicago is committed to rewarding his vision, which has focused on youth, draft capital, and depth.
When Poles was initially hired, he inherited a difficult situation with a roster that was older, underdeveloped, and poorly coached. In his first offseason, he shed salary by moving off key pieces like Khalil Mack and Roquan Smith, to add draft picks and open up more cap space. He was also able to flip the 2023 first overall pick into DJ Moore and a host of future draft picks, a move now seen as a franchise-altering decision.
After a rough first two years of rebuilding, the team was rewarded with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, where they selected QB Caleb Williams. They also made other big additions like fellow rookie first-round pick Rome Odunze. And in the most recent season, the team underperformed in many ways, which led to the long-overdue firing of Matt Eberflus.
This now leads us to the 2025 offseason, where the Chicago Bears had yet again a very aggressive offseason. Making moves for Pro Bowl guard Joe Thuney, drafting a pair of new weapons in Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. But arguably the biggest change coming to town is the hiring of new head coach Ben Johnson.
What has stood out most with Poles and his approach is his calculated aggressiveness in both free agency and the NFL Draft. He has shown a willingness to take big swings, such as his trade for Montez Sweat or moving off of Justin Fields in favor of Caleb Williams. But he is not just blindly making big moves; he is also exercising patience with this team, showcased in his patience with Eberflus and his trading down in the 2023 NFL Draft.
With the extension finalized, it is an obvious sign that the Bears are fully bought into Poles’ plan for the future. With a young and talented quarterback, a revamped receiving corps, and a defense that is flooded with talent, Chicago is hoping for this to just be the beginning of a long stretch of great football.
Of course, extensions come with expectations. Now that Poles has built the roster in his image, the pressure will be on to win. The Bears haven’t been to the playoffs since 2020 and have not won a playoff game since 2010. So now the pressure is higher than ever for the Chicago Bears.
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