The Chicago Bears elected to keep the status quo going into 2024. It wasn’t a surprise. The team had improved from 3-14 to 7-10 last season, so it felt like they were headed in the right direction. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus seemed to have fostered a strong culture built around effort and intensity. One more push could get them over the hump. Now, here they are, having squandered a 4-2 start to reach 4-5 with the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL still ahead. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was fired. He is the eighth assistant Eberflus has dismissed. Many aren’t wondering if there will be changes in January, but how many? That depends on Kevin Warren.
As the new team president, the McCaskey family empowered him to lead the organization, including potential big decisions on the football side. Keep in mind that Warren wasn’t around when Poles and Eberflus were hired. He has no direct ties to either man, making him a wild card in what comes next. According to a source, there is a belief among people close to Warren that he intends to overhaul the football operations if things continue on their current path.
“Clean house” were the words used.
Kevin Warren has more than enough justification for this move.
Eberflus doesn’t need much explanation. Barring a major turnaround, he will complete his third consecutive losing season, during which he routinely got accused of overcoaching and squandering two talented young quarterbacks. Firing two offensive coordinators in 11 months sums it all up. Poles is a more complicated case. He deserves credit for the masterful Carolina trade that landed Williams, D.J. Moore, and other talented pieces for their rebuild. He’s constructed a solid defense as well. However, he is also saddled with some ugly misses like Larry Ogunjobi, Chase Claypool, and Nate Davis. There is also the fact he hired Eberflus and chose to keep him despite knowing the Bears would draft a quarterback this year.
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Many Bears fans wouldn’t fault Kevin Warren if he chooses to wipe the slate clean. The obvious question would be who he might bring in as replacements. At GM, he has ties with two notable names. Former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman worked with him for 13 years between 2006 and 2019. Spielman is also a former Bears director of pro personnel. The other is Martin Mayhew, former GM of the Lions and Commanders. He worked with Warren for three years in Detroit.
As for the head coach, he has connections to Kevin Stefanski, Klint Kubiak, Drew Petzing, Eric Bieniemy, and Joe Woods. The next couple of months should get interesting.
Beardown54 I always appreciate your posts sir. You are typically impartial and fair. In the end we all want the same thing… to just fk’n win. I don’t “dislike” Poles. I just don’t think he has done nearly the great job that many give him credit for. He hasn’t been terrible, but he hasn’t been very good either. The product on the field is the only real undeniable proof we have. Everything else is personal opinion.
@Beardown54 — As a partial answer to your question of whether Ryan Poles “learned anything through his years” in Chicago, let’s consult his own.words: “This is the best (line) depth I’ve ever had,” Poles told reporters in late August. “I actually let one of the guys go on cutdowns, and I was like, ‘Man, you did an excellent job. I wish we could keep you here.’ … Obviously, you want your starting five to be healthy and ready to go, but I feel more confident in the depth of our offensive line than I ever have before.” — Mike Sando,… Read more »
Tred… lol. You are probably correct sir.
Fair enough, Sam. I soured on him this year because I was worried about the O-line, but I trusted that he and Cunningham, being OL “geniuses,” knew what they were doing. Building from the outside/in went against the grain and backfired. Again, I am indifferent. I think Cunnigham is better than Poles. Who cares about his public speaking,
Melhus u constantly mention B Jones… yea he was a solid pick for a 5th round pick. But Poles openly stated he didn’t make that pick. It was a straight up scout pick. So plz stop giving Poles credit for that. Wright was way over drafted and is very average. Edmunds is good but def not great, but being paid as if he’s great. Stevenson is very solid, but childish selfish player. I love Odunze and def think he could be great. But again, as of right this second he is def not a star. I am a big fan… Read more »