For better or worse, Ryan Poles is at the center of the Chicago Bears' head coach search.
Despite there being speculation that the Bears could move on from Poles as general manager after the regular season concludes, a recent report from Albert Breer suggests that Poles will remain in his role in the Bears' front office this offseason while serving as the point man for the team's head coach search.
The Bears haven't confirmed but the belief is that Poles is under contract for one more season. The idea of Poles being in the final year of his contract has long been a point of contention when talking about the Bears' chances of recruiting Ben Johnson to be their next head coach. Johnson wants to be aligned with his general manager, something that wouldn't be the case for the Bears unless Poles is extended.
It remains to be determined if the Bears will hand out an undeserved extension to Poles next week, but a recent rumor suggests that the current Bears' general manager may have reservations about hiring Johnson.
Rumors I'm hearing on Bears head coach opening via team sources:
— Charlie Campbell (@DraftCampbell) January 1, 2025
- Lions OC Ben Johnson wants the job, but Ryan Poles has reservations. There is a lot of belief that Johnson would push Poles out.
- Johnson is said to want Commanders assistent GM Lance Newmark as the GM. Newmark…
Ryan Poles might be avoiding Ben Johnson's arrival at Halas Hall.
Each rumor should be taken with a grain of salt until the Bears actually begin the interview process but this would be concerning if true. Johnson appears to be the best candidate for the Bears' opening and if Poles is avoiding the Lions' offensive coordinator because of what it may mean for his future with the organization, Kevin Warren will need to step in and fire the general manager.
The rumor also halts the momentum from the Tom Pelissero report on New Year's Eve. Pelissero predicted that the Bears would be the "best bet" when predicting where Johnson land this offseason.
Poles is expected to hold a press conference at Halas Hall next week as the Bears begin their head coach search in earnest. That will be an important moment to determine not only where things stand between Poles and the Bears but also the direction of the team's head coach search.