NEWSLETTER
Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles has been making the rounds across the media landscape after running point on what has been a highly acclaimed NFL Draft weekend. I’ve wounded up some worthwhile Poles quotes and clips, adding commentary and context to give those words some depth. I figure this would be a nice thing for folks to skim through over the weekend. Enjoy!
Caleb Williams has a “glue component”
There has been so much written and said about Bears No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, but this quote from Ryan Poles stood out to me because of how different it was compared to what others have put out there about Chicago’s new QB1. In a discussion that you can read in full at the Chicago Bears website, Poles shares some background on the dinner the team had with Williams in Los Angeles. Included in that was a fresh anecdote that a notable takeaway from the experience:
“What we saw is that glue component that he has, which is to bring people together for whatever their goal is. For them it was to get into the playoffs, be successful, but that also goes a long way when you go through hard times as well and adversity and keeping guys together. He definitely had that. There was something special in the way that his teammates looked at him.”
Saying a quarterback has a “glue component” is new to me. But I like it. We often use the “glue guy” phrase when mentioning role players. But here is Bears GM Ryan Poles saying it about his quarterback. In a way, it makes sense. Quarterbacks are supposed to bring everyone together. The best signal callers make things look cohesive. If things come together nicely for the Bears in 2024, Williams will be in the middle of it all.
Ryan Poles isn’t rushing to extend Keenan Allen’s contract
Wide receiver Keenan Allen has just one year left on his contract. And while there is a part of me that hopes Allen’s time in Chicago lasts longer than just a year, I recognize that drafting Rome Odunze as an heir apparent could complicate things on that front. With that being said, Ryan Poles didn’t outright dismiss the possibility of an extension. It just doesn’t sound like anything is imminent.
“There isn’t a sense of urgency there right now. But we’ll see kinda how everything unfolds as we get into the season,” Poles said in an interview with the Waddle and Silvy Show on ESPN 1000. “We have a good relationship with the agent and we’ve had some conversations that I’ll keep private. But both sides are in a good spot.”
We sure have come a long way to get where we are now after witnessing how Poles navigated the Roquan Smith extension talks.
I think how Rome Odunze develops as a rookie will play a role in if Keenan Allen gets an extension in Chicago. If things go well for Odunze out of the chute, then the Bears might not see a need to extend Allen. But if things are slower out of the gate, then maybe a short-term deal with a lofty per-year average (similar to what Mike Evans signed to stay in Tampa Bay) makes sense for both sides. For now, the big takeaway is that Ryan Poles isn’t in a hurry to get anything done with Keenan Allen.
Will the Chicago Bears do Hard Knocks?
Ryan Poles was asked about the possibility of the Bears appearing on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series. And I’ll say this about Poles’ answer to the Waddle and Silvy Show, he doesn’t outright say no:
“I have not heard. It wouldn’t surprise e either way. In terms of being in favor for … there are some distractions that come along with it. But it’s one of those things that, in this league, you just adjust and adapt to whatever shows up. If it’s here, we’ll roll. If it’s not, we’ll keep it moving.”
Again, there is not a hard “no” in that answer. So, in my book, there is a realistic chance that the Bears are the subject of the HBO show. Sure, the network might need to twist some arms at Halas Hall and force their way onto campus. But the juice could be worth the squeeze to get a behind-the-scenes look at training camp for one of the league’s most fascinating teams going into the 2024 NFL season.
The Chicago Bears have never been on the HBO series in the 20+ years it has been going on. Chairman George McCaskey has made it abundantly clear that he wants nothing to do with the Hard Knocks cameras and what comes with their presence. But what better time than now to break that streak? Seriously, if not now, then when?
MORE: There is a Non-Zero Chance the Chicago Bears Do HBO’s Hard Knocks in 2024
