If they handed out awards for bold offseason statements and strong draft grades, the Chicago Bears would have built a dynasty by now.
Unfortunately, teams don't reward failure and hand out multi-year contract extensions on the back of multiple disappointing seasons. Oh, wait, yes they do. That's what the Bears have done.
That's right. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Bears have handed general manager Ryan Poles a contract extension that will keep him in Chicago for the next five years.
When breaking the news, Schefter highlighted two of Poles' biggest achievements: Trading down from No. 1 overall that ultimately resulted in them landing Caleb Williams, and the other? Hiring Ben Johnson.
*Insert Ron Burgundy 'We are laughing' meme*
How about when Poles said the Bears would "take the North and never give it back," only to finish dead last in the division in the three seasons that followed?
Bears' commitment to Ryan Poles will have a significant impact on the Packers
All joking aside, this is a significant update for the Packers and the rest of the NFC North. The Bears want continuity, which is never a bad thing, and Poles has (on paper, at least) made some smart decisions this offseason.
That doesn't make the extension any less funny. Bear in mind that incoming Packers president Ed Policy made it clear he is in no rush to extend Brian Gutekunst's contract (or Matt LaFleur's, for that matter). Like Poles, they both had two years remaining on their deals.
Gutekunst has successfully overseen a rebuild, taking over a playoff-less team in 2018 and turning them into contenders. Alongside Mark Murphy, he played a key role in hiring LaFleur. With Gutey and LaFleur running the show, the Packers have gone 67-33, won the NFC North three times, and secured a playoff berth five times in six years. In 2022, they missed out by one game.
Under Pole's guidance, the Bears have been rooted to the bottom of the NFC North with a 15-36 record. His team is 1-5 against the Packers.
The Packers aren't quite ready to commit to Gutekunst long-term, although they likely will, but the Bears have seemingly rushed ahead with an extension for Poles before he's achieved anything.
Winning on paper is one thing, but Poles now faces even more pressure to deliver results on the field.
If the past three years are anything to go by, the Bears' decision will help the Packers win a lot of football games over the next five seasons.