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Bears make surprising move with GM Ryan Poles

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 4:03 PM ET

The Chicago Bears on Friday made a surprising decision regarding the future of general manager Ryan Poles.

The Bears signed Poles to a contract extension that runs through the 2029 season, according to multiple reports. The team made the move even though Poles still had two years remaining on his existing contract.

ESPN sources: the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles have reached agreement on a contract extension that ties him to Chicago for the next five years, through the 2029 season. Poles had two years remaining on his old deal, but now the Bears have him and new head coach Ben… pic.twitter.com/WEpVVAUYat
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 11, 2025

The main aim of Poles’ new deal appears to be to align his contract with new head coach Ben Johnson’s. Poles hired Johnson during the offseason and signed him to a four-year deal, so the two are now on the same timeline.

Poles has not had a hugely successful tenure with the Bears, which is what makes this a surprise. He was hired in 2022 and the organization has yet to post a winning season during his tenure. However, he did land Johnson, and his trade with Carolina that ultimately netted the organization both Caleb Williams and D.J. Moore is set to pay dividends for years to come.

Still, Poles was also behind the ill-fated hire of Matt Eberflus as head coach, and there were legitimate questions about his job security late last season. Clearly those questions have been answered, even though it was not necessary for them to make such a move right now.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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