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Details Emerge on Bears' Extension Plans for GM Ryan Poles

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jordan J. Wilson | Last updated Feb 3, 2025 7:06 PM ET

Despite outside speculation, the Chicago Bears seem to have no interest in moving on from general manager Ryan Poles in the foreseeable future.

Poles has been perceived as a GM potentially on the hot seat since the end of Chicago's tumultuous 2024 season, facing criticisms for his poor roster-building decisions and for sticking with former head coach Matt Eberflus last offseason.

Understandably, head-coaching candidates also had questions about Poles' job security when the team conducted its search for its next coach in January.

In the wake of Ben Johnson's hiring, though, the Bears are planning to bring their new head coach and fourth-year general manager into alignment.

According to ESPN's Courtney Cronin, the Bears are expected to sign Poles to a contract extension during the 2025 offseason that will "align him" with the five-year head-coaching deal the team signed with Johnson on January 21.

"According to a team source with knowledge of the situation, Poles' deal runs through the 2026 season," Cronin wrote Monday, "and the expectation is he will receive an extension to align him with Johnson, who signed a five-year contract with Chicago, a term that is common for first-time head coaches."

Cronin noted the Bears do not publicly discuss the contract details of coaches and general managers. But if Poles' current contract does indeed run through the 2026 season, they would need to add another three years onto his deal to bring him into perfect alignment with Johnson over the next five seasons.

Poles will face a number of critical challenges during the 2025 offseason. He must rebuild the team's offensive line to better protect the franchise's top asset, quarterback Caleb Williams, after watching him get sacked 67 times last year.

He must also decide how to best spend the team's ample cap space (about $62.9 million) and draft picks — including three of the first 41 selections — to address the other weaknesses on the roster in the months ahead.

Doing so will require philosophical alignment between Poles and Johnson.

And with some luck, Poles should get his contractual alignment, too.

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

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