Ryan Poles' job security as the Chicago Bears' general manager has been the hot topic of conversation in the immediate aftermath of the in-season firing of Matt Eberflus.
While Caleb Williams endorsed Poles as the Bears' general manager moving forward, there continues to be reporting that lays the ground for a change at the general manager for the Bears after the season. The latest being a scathing report from Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. Beyond the revelation that Eberflus was not forced on Poles, there was also reporting as to the lack of vetting the current general manager had while mulling impact moves.
While speculation surrounding Poles' future has been based on Kevin Warren potentially wanting to bring in his own people while the Bears are also in the midst of a head coach search, Adam Jahns of The Athletic reports the final approval to fire Poles would fall with team chairman George McCaskey.
"Poles reports to president/CEO Kevin Warren but firing Poles would still require approval from chairman George McCaskey. He’s the one who hired Poles in 2022 after an extensive search run with the assistance of Bill Polian, the Hall of Fame executive," Jahns writes.
Ryan Poles' future with the Chicago Bears isn't as a bright as it once was.
It's difficult to uncover a scenario where McCaskey would sign off on the firing of Poles after the season. McCaskey has extended a relatively long leash to general managers in the past, with Ryan Pace getting seven years in the position being the prime example of his loyalty. With that in mind, it would seem like a reach that McCaskey would approve the firing of Poles after three seasons. If that were to happen, it would be confirmation that McCaskey is no longer the kingmaker in the Bears' organization as that power would lie with Warren.
While a firing of Poles may be unlikely, it's a non-zero percent chance that there is a mutual parting of ways after the season. With recent reports suggesting that Poles is growing frustrated with the power structure within the Bears' organization, the Bears could the guise of the head coach search to move on from Poles.