The Chicago Bears have finally made their decision on a General Manager. The first thing that the new GM has to do is hire a head coach. Then, the coach and GM will go over the roster together. Still, no matter who the head coach is, Chicago Bears fans should expect Ryan Poles to extend the following two players.
2. Roquan Smith
This one should be obvious. Roquan Smith was not quite an All-Pro but was very close, and according to All-Pro voting was the fifth-best linebacker in 2022. He may not be the best in the NFL, but the top five is something that should have fans excited, and it signals a player that the Chicago Bears cannot let get away.
One of the first things the team will do is extend is Smith. He is not only a leader on the field, but his playcalling, and the way he goes about business make him a leader off of the field. He always meets with the media and always goes above and beyond to be a leader.
The dollars and cents will be worked on soon enough, but there is no doubt that Roquan Smith is going to be extended.
1. David Montgomery
A linebacker who can call plays and keep things locked in on defense is supremely valuable. On the flip side, there are questions about the value of running backs. It is easier to replace running backs on the field, and they provide a bit less overall value as well.
Still, there is no doubt that the Chicago Bears will extend David Montgomery. George McCaskey will let Ryan Poles make his own decisions, but you have to assume that McCaskey was happy with Poles because Poles told him what he wanted to hear in regards to David Montgomery.
McCaskey went out of his way to praise Montgomery as a leader, and as the face of the franchise In his end-of-season press conference a few weeks ago. He mentioned that Montgomery is the type of person that you build teams around.
The Bears will want to set an example by showing other players that if you show up every day and work as hard as Montgomery, you will be rewarded. That is why fans should expect him to be the first player extended by Ryan Poles.