How Ryan Poles’ Bears extension helps strengthen the Chiefs' pipeline

The Chicago Bears have committed to general manager Ryan Poles through the 2029 NFL season with a new contract extension, as first reported by Ian Rapoport. This is good news for the Kansas City Chiefs.

it might sound funny to think that an opposing team coming to terms on a second contract with its general manager would bode well for the Chiefs, especially a team in an entirely different conference. But Poles, as most of Chiefs Kingdom will already know, came to the Windy City from the Chiefs' organization in the first place.

Poles was hired away from Kansas City by the Bears back in 2022. Since then, he's overseen a complete roster overhaul that began at quarterback with Caleb Williams as the first overall selection in the 2024. This offseason, he reinvented the front line by importing an interior nucleus that included Joe Thuney in a deal with the Chiefs.

Ryan Poles' new extension should create some positive ripple effects for the Chiefs.

That Poles is doing well enough to earn such a rare thing as job security (at least to some degree) in the NFL reflects positively on what the organizational tree in Kansas City can provide for other teams.

First, the loss of Poles to the Bears brought about some draft compensation for Brett Veach in the form of compensatory third-round selections in successive drafts (in 2022 and 2023). Future losses could also bring the same if teams believe they will do well by drawing from the Chiefs' well.

In addition, the ability for Chiefs GM Brett Veach to work deals with persons he's already well-acquainted with could work wonders for the front office. With Mike Borgonzi in Tennessee and Poles in Chicago, he has two former Chiefs execs with whom he already has strong relationships and trust.

Finally, the idea that hard work is going to be rewarded should keep the Chiefs well-stocked going forward. The organizational reputation goes a long way toward luring new talent, and while it stings to lose someone, that draw also works to bring others into the system.

The Bears are quite pleased with their decision to hire Poles three years ago and they've given him a few more years of stability because of it. But the decision has ripple effects that should benefit Poles' former home in K.C. in indirect ways.