When Brad Biggs offers a Q&A session as part of his coverage of the Chicago Bears for the Chicago Tribune, it's appointment reading.
With the Bears in the middle of an eight-game losing streak and officially eliminated from playoff contention this past Sunday, the focus is on what will happen after the season for the team.
Given the increased scrutiny of the moves Ryan Poles has made over the past three years, there has been speculation that Kevin Warren may be setting the stage for Poles to be fired at the end of the season.
That wasn't the impression Biggs offered when answering his first question about the state of the Bears' organization. Amidst fear that the Bears won't be able to land a top coaching candidate due to where things stand between Poles and Warren, Biggs discarded the idea.
"But the impression I am getting is that the Bears have been pretty forthright about their shortcomings. I am told, by sources outside the building, that the team’s top leadership, and this includes Warren and general manager Ryan Poles, have been reflective and have communicated the right message," Biggs wrote.
Chicago Bears trying to silence doubt surrounding head coach search
With Biggs' response, it seems that Poles and Warren are trying to present a unified front during their initial vetting of Bears' head coaching candidates. That may work if the Bears are trying to court a first-time head coach such as Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator Joe Brady, but the names at the top of the hiring cycle such as Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson, and, even, Kliff Kingsbury will likely have doubts about the message originating from Halas Hall.
Words can only go so far. If the Bears want to land their desired candidate, it may take action to prove that Poles is on solid ground. That action would probably arrive in the form of a contract extension. One that may be met with skepticism giving the building animosity the fanbase has with Poles at the moment.