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Bears Name Poles GM

Ryan Poles made the Chicago Bears this time.

 

Poles was hired as Chicago’s general manager on Tuesday, almost 15 years after he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent and then failed to make the final roster.

 

Poles spent the previous 13 seasons in the Chiefs’ front office, the past year as executive director of player personnel under general manager Brett Veach. He was the team’s director of college scouting in 2017 when Kansas City drafted Patrick Mahomes with the No. 10 overall pick — after Chicago took Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2.

 

The Bears fired general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy after a 6-11 season, hoping new leadership will lift a struggling franchise. They brought in Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian to lead a five-person search team that also included chairman George McCaskey and president Ted Phillips.

 

A big part of Poles’ job will be solidifying the quarterback position that has haunted the founding NFL franchise for decades.

 

That likely means figuring out a way to get the most out of Justin Fields and surrounding him with the talent to help him develop. The former Ohio State star had a shaky rookie season, though he also showed potential.

 

Turning around the franchise will be a big job. First up, he has to help the team settle on a coach after Nagy was let go.

 

The Bears announced later in the day that Poles had interviewed Jim Caldwell for the coaching job. Caldwell also talked to the organization about the position on Jan. 15.

Chicago has just seven playoff appearances in the past 30 years.

 

Poles, 36, played offensive tackle at Boston College, where he blocked for longtime Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. He signed with the Bears in 2008, but he didn’t make the roster.

 

Now he’s the seventh general manager in team history.

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