Ryan Poles didn’t walk into an easy job when he became the Chicago Bears‘ general manager in 2022. The team was a mess. Stuck in salary cap hell, stuck with a coach and QB he didn’t pick, and stuck in a cycle of losing. But Poles had a plan. He tore things down, made tough calls, and started building from the ground up. Some fans hated it. They saw losses pile up and questioned whether he was the right guy. But Poles stayed steady. “We knew this wasn’t going to be a quick fix,” he said after the 2023 season. “But every move we make is about the future.”
His drafts landed key pieces like Darnell Wright and Tyrique Stevenson. He turned the No. 1 pick into a haul, setting up Caleb Williams with weapons. But even with Caleb under center, the Bears didn’t find the success fans hoped for in 2024. Instead, it was another brutal season. That’s why Chicago isn’t exactly throwing a parade over Poles’ extension through 2029. Enter Kay Adams, who’s got a reality check for all the frustrated fans out there. And a solid case for why Poles’ extension might be a smart move.
“I was absolutely disheartened by some of the reaction… some of this was gross,” Adams said, calling out fans dismissing Poles’ work. “In 2022, he walked into a roster stripped to escape cap hell, a coach and QB he didn’t choose. Now? One of the most talented young teams in the league.” She’s not wrong. Poles turned the Panthers’ desperation for the 2023 No. 1 pick into a goldmine: D.J. Moore, Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, and this year’s rookie standouts like Luther Burden III.
Thoughts on Ryan Poles@ChicagoBears @UpAndAdamsShow pic.twitter.com/832UN3fsWK
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) July 14, 2025
Talking about Ryan Poles’s partnership with new coach Ben Johnson, Adams added, “They’re wearing those best friend necklaces, okay? The ones you’d buy at Claire’s, where you split the heart? That’s them.” Adams played Johnson’s own words from his introductory presser, “Ryan, what you’ve built here is loaded. We’re going to be connected on every decision. You criticizing this is so Loserville,” Adams argued.
“We haven’t even seen his full plan pay off yet.” With the Bears’ win total set at 8.5 (+550 to win the North), she’s betting Poles’s moves finally click in 2025: “Just let it happen.”
Behind Ryan Poles’ extension
The Bears didn’t just extend Ryan Poles’s contract; they bet big on the man who knows their pain better than anyone. Think about this: back in 2008, a 22-year-old Poles walked into Halas Hall as an undrafted offensive tackle trying to make the roster. He didn’t stick, but that rejection lit a fire. Fourteen years later, he returned as the first Black GM in franchise history, inheriting a mess – salary cap nightmares, aging stars, and a fanbase starving for relevance.
But here’s what critics miss: this extension isn’t a reward for past wins. It’s a runway for the future that Poles have been building since Day 1. Look at how he’s operating differently from past regimes. While previous Bears GMs chased quick fixes, Poles methodically acquired young talent while maintaining financial flexibility. He resisted overpaying for flashy free agents, instead targeting specific pieces that fit Johnson’s system.
The results is a roster where 14 of 22 projected starters are under 25, with $60M in cap space still available for 2025 (Spotrac). “We’re building through the draft while staying nimble,” Poles told the Tribune last month – a philosophy that finally gives Chicago a sustainable path forward. “We’re not just collecting talent, we’re building something that lasts,” Poles told reporters after April’s draft. His moves scream long-game thinking – like swiping All-Pro guard Joe Thuney from the Chiefs for pennies, or pairing his prized QB with offensive guru Ben Johnson.
For a franchise that’s cycled through 5 GMs since their last playoff win, Poles’ extension breaks the cycle. It’s not about his .294 winning percentage – it’s about finally having a plan that extends beyond next season’s win total. And for Bears fans who’ve suffered through decades of false dawns, that might be the most promising stat of all.
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