Ranking the Chicago Bears GM candidates being interviewed
Chicago Bears GM Candidate: 1
Ryan Poles – Chiefs, Executive Director of Player Personnel
After going through the candidates, I have locked in on Ryan Poles as the top guy I’d want to see the Chicago Bears hire based on who they have extended interviews to. Omar Khan is a close second, but I’d have to be in on the interviews only because I need to hear for myself what exactly he’d have planned for the organization seeing he doesn’t have a true scouting or players personnel background.
After digging into Ryan Poles more, I had to move him up over Khan. I wrote a decent amount on Poles already if you want to check it out, click here. What you should know about him is that he has been with the Chiefs his entire career. He has been a fast riser in the ranks and started working with Kansas City at the age of 23. He has been around for three regimes too, meaning he lasted through two shifts in general manager — that is impressive in itself.
Poles started out as a scouting assistant who worked his way up to college scouting coordinator. He was promoted to director of college scouting in six years and then assistant director of player personnel. He is currently the executive director of player personnel and getting plenty of interest. He is a former offensive lineman out of Boston College and has a knack and building offensive lines. At least we know he’d make it more of a focus than Ryan Pace did during his tenure.
Ryan Poles was a finalist last season with the Panthers and is getting a second interview not only with the Bears, but also with the Minnesota Vikings. What will be interesting to see though is who he would choose at head coach if given the position.
Since Poles has only been with the Chiefs for the last 13 years, that leaves some names off the table. In fact, out of the names of potential head coaches who are locked in for second interview, Ryan Poles doen’st have a direct connection to any of them. As of now, the coaches seeing second interviews are Dan Quinn, Matt Eberflus, and Jim Caldwell.
I will not be excited by any of these three if it comes down to them and honestly makes me think Ryan Poles isn’t much of a front-runner despite the second interview. Remember, he isn’t a Bill Polian guy who has been sailing this ship. Looking at the names of coaches the Chicago Bears have interviewed, Doug Pederson has a direct connection to Poles. Pederson was the Chiefs OC from 2013-2015, while Poles was director of college scouting.
Brian Daboll was also with the Chiefs in 2012 as the team’s offensive coordinator. Ryan Poles was still in the director of college scouting at that time too. Although Daboll isn’t rumored to receive a second interview, could Ryan Poles be the guy to bring Daboll back into the fold? That would be my favorite combination I think at this point seeing that Daboll was my top head coaching candidate.
We should likely see a GM hired by the end of this week.