GM Options If Ryan Poles Is Out This Offseason

Ryan Poles got a vote of confidence from team president Kevin Warren that his job as GM is safe. That offers a strong indication he will be back with the Chicago Bears next year. However, there are at least warning signs that this could change. For one, the team has lost seven straight and may not win another game for the rest of the year. The head coach Poles hired became the first ever fired midseason. Lastly, there is a strong belief that Warren may consider removing him if the head coach he prefers wants his own GM to work with.

All of these factors make Poles returning far from a guarantee. In such an event, figuring out who could replace him is a difficult task. Here is a list of several names who could or should get consideration.

Internal options to replace Ryan Poles:

Ian Cunningham (assistant GM)

There have been many instances where it appears as if Cunningham is the voice of reason in the Bears’ front office, steering Poles away from rash decisions. That tells you he has a strong grasp of how to navigate a turbulent draft board. No doubt that comes from his extensive experience working in Baltimore and Philadelphia, helping each win Super Bowls as a scout and personnel director. He’s been a hot candidate for GM going back the past few years. He’s been groomed by some of the best. Would he take the job if Chicago fires his friend? That is a difficult question to answer.

Veterans:

John Dorsey (Lions senior exec)

When you build two different franchises into playoff contenders, you’d think there would be more interest in your services. Dorsey was the main architect of the Kansas City Chiefs dynasty, drafting key names like Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Patrick Mahomes before he was unceremoniously fired. He then took over Cleveland and laid the groundwork for their eventual ascent in one draft with Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward, and Nick Chubb. He has a clear eye for talent and also knows the division from his stints with Green Bay and Detroit.

Jeff Ireland (Saints assistant GM)

Maybe he would’ve had more luck if he hadn’t ascended right in the middle of the Patriots dynasty. Still, Ireland was the only GM to build a team good enough to topple New England in the AFC East between 2003 and 2018. This was done by acquiring quality players like Jake Long, Chad Pennington, Vontae Davis, Reshad Jones, Mike Pouncey, Ryan Tannehill, Olivier Vernon, and Jarvis Landry. Since moving to New Orleans, he’s helped keep them relevant with guys like Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, Alvin Kamara, Erik McCoy, and Brian Bresee.

Rick Spielman (Former Vikings GM)

Kevin Warren knows him well from their long time together in Minnesota. One could argue that the Vikings still mostly benefit from Spielman’s work. Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, Garrett Bradbury, and Brian O’Neil were all drafted by him. That doesn’t include guys like Dalvin Cook, Danielle Hunter, Stefon Diggs, Adrian Peterson, Anthony Barr, and Everson Griffen. The man has a sharp eye for talent and remains available for his next opportunity.

Bears connections:

Mark Sadowski (Steelers director of scouting)

Before heading to Pittsburgh, Sadowski was a central part of the Bears front office for almost two decades. He was with the team during their successful run in the 2000s, helping to draft key names like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Tommie Harris, and Devin Hester. Mike Ditka was actually the one who gave him his break into the NFL years ago. The man would certainly be committed to turning the organization around.

Dwayne Joseph (Lions director of scouting)

Before getting into scouting, Joseph played three seasons for the Bears from 1994 to 1996. After retiring, he joined their scouting department and stayed there until 2004. He worked with Ireland in Miami for a few years before returning to Chicago as a pro personnel director. His presence led to acquisitions like Brandon Marshall, Martellus Bennett, and Jermon Bushrod. He took a similar role in Philadelphia after that, helping them win the Super Bowl in 2017. He’s well-traveled and has been educated by several quality GMs.

Champ Kelly (Raiders assistant GM)

Kelly rose through the ranks in Denver, where he helped the team win the Super Bowl in 2015. Much of that success came from his help on the pro personnel side, where they secured Emmanuel Sanders, DeMarcus Ware, and Aqib Talib. He then came to Chicago, where he helped Ryan Pace construct the 2018 division champion team. Kelly has long been a prominent name in NFL circles. He communicates well with players and has a sharp eye for talent.

Ascending names:

Ray Agnew (Lions assistant GM)

The second in command to one of the most successful GMs of the past few years. Agnew played in the NFL for a decade before transitioning to scouting for the Rams organization. He played a central role in their rise to eventual Super Bowl champions in 2021, helping to acquire stars like Jalen Ramsey, Andrew Whitworth, and Leonard Floyd. He has since helped construct a Lions roster that has gone 12-1 this season, headlined by stars like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, Jamyr Gibbs, and Alim McNeill.

Terrance Gray (Bills director of player personnel)

After 11 years with the Vikings as a scout, Gray got his first big opportunity in Buffalo in 2017. He’s been a key contributor to the Bills’ resurgence over the past several years. Josh Allen, Dion Dawkins, Ed Oliver, Dawson Knox, Gregory Rousseau, James Cook, and Khalil Shakir. They have made the playoffs six times and are in line to do so again. Gray has gotten more and more attention from teams over the past couple of years. He seems ready for his opportunity.

John Spytek (Bucs assistant GM)

Few teams have been better and more consistent at drafting well over the past decade than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. GM Jason Licht gets most of the credit for that, but Spytek has been his right-hand man throughout. Chris Godwin, Vita Vea, Tristan Wirfs, Antoine Winfield, and Tom Brady were all key additions that built their Super Bowl championship team in 2020. Their ability to maintain success even after losing Brady and Bruce Arians to retirement is a testament to their roster-building capability.

Jon-Eric Sullivan (Packers director of player personnel)

Executives plucked from Green Bay have found a lot of success in the league. Dorsey was mentioned above. John Schneider in Seattle came from there. The franchise has an excellent scouting department that continues to keep the roster stacked with talent. Sullivan has been there since 2008, helping to build their 2010 Super Bowl team and maintaining the Packers’ ongoing success over the decade and a half since. Name a good player on their roster and he had a hand in them getting there.

Andy Weidl (Eagles VP of player personnel)

There are always guys who seem to have success follow them wherever they go. He won a Super Bowl in Baltimore as a scout, won another in Philadelphia as a personnel director, and now is helping Pittsburgh position itself for a legitimate run at their seventh Lombardi trophy this season. The man has been in the personnel business for almost 30 years with three of the best organizations in football. If anybody were qualified to replace Ryan Poles, it would be him.