The Chicago Bears and General Manager Ryan Poles have reached an agreement on a contract extension through the 2029 season, per ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
It is a new era in Chicago. The Chicago Bears signed Head Coach Ben Johnson to a five-year contract in January. Both GM Ryan Poles and HC Ben Johnson will be under contract with Chicago for the next five seasons.
Bear Down
Ryan Poles has been the Bears’ General Manager since 2022. After a 3-14 record in his first year as GM, the Chicago Bears landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. According to ESPN Chicago Bears reporter Courtney Cronin, GM Ryan Poles “backed” Justin Fields as the Bears’ starting quarterback for the 2023 season. As a result, the Chicago Bears traded the No. 1 overall selection to the Carolina Panthers for a haul that included star wide receiver D.J. Moore and multiple first and second-round picks. The first-round picks from Carolina turned into offensive tackle Darnell Wright (10th Overall-2023) and quarterback Caleb Williams (1st Overall-2024). Chicago selected cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (56th overall -2023) and wide receiver Luther Burden III (39th overall – 2025) with the Panthers’ second-round picks.
Another key moment during Ryan Poles’ tenure was acquiring Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat via trade. Chicago went on to sign Sweat to a four-year, $98 million contract extension days later. Montez Sweat has led the team in sacks the past two seasons.
Things haven’t always been perfect in the Windy City. The Bears traded a 2023 second-round pick for wide receiver Chase Claypool, who only played in ten games with Chicago. In 2024, Matt Eberflus was the first Bears coach in franchise history to be fired during the season. Overall, the Chicago Bears have a record of 15-36 since Ryan Poles was hired as general manager.
However, Ryan Poles was able to land the belle of the ball this offseason in Head Coach Ben Johnson. The signing of Ben Johnson has instilled hope back into the city of Chicago.
The Return of the Monsters of the Midway
The Chicago Bears have had a promising offseason in 2025. The Bears beefed up both sides of the line of scrimmage, with the additions of offensive linemen Drew Dalman, Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and defensive linemen Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo.
Chicago had a solid draft as well, headlined by tight end Colston Loveland from the University of Michigan and wide receiver Luther Burden III from the University of Missouri.
With franchise players in place and the front office now aligned, expect the Chicago Bears to be contenders in the NFC for the foreseeable future.
– Follow Dan Loya on X @DLoya_NFL
