Ryan Poles’ Bears Tenure on the Brink: This Weekend Could Mark the End of an Era in Chicago
Sunday could be Ryan Poles’ last game as the Chicago Bears’ general manager, whether they defeat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field or not. (At this point, place your bets on “not” and prepare to wallow in all that alcohol you said you weren’t going to drink after New Year’s.)
Let’s be very frank: regardless of the outcome, the results say it should be Poles’ final day with the Bears.
Of course, you always have to ask The Question about everything involving the Bears: how much blame does Poles really deserve for how poorly things go with this dysfunctional franchise?
The objective for that 2022 season was clear: tear it all down, and obtain the pieces to start building anew. Poles inherited a terrible cap and roster situation from predecessor Ryan Pace, so file that 3-14 campaign under “whatever.”
2023 showed promise thanks to the epic Panthers trade haul, the Montez Sweat acquisition, and a more competitive 7-10 season that provided a glimpse of bigger things to come.
2024 was supposed to be the year it started coming together after getting the QB everyone desperately wanted (Caleb Williams), surrounding him with weapons, and ostensibly returning a very good defense.
But it all went to hell, and Poles’ mistakes along the way are part of the story.
- The blown Chase Claypool trade
- The inability to land difference-making free agents
- Never adequately addressing the center position and poor offensive line depth, which is shocking for a former offensive lineman
- Hiring the wrong offensive coordinator for his prized young QB and wasting the first half of his season because of it
- Retaining Matt Eberflus after the 2023 season only to fire him less than a year later for predictably showing no improvement
- Elevating Thomas Brown to interim head coach instead of continuing his rapport with Williams as a play caller and tabbing a more experienced coach, like special teams coach Richard Hightower (who was a head coach at the Shrine Bowl last year)
