3 Chicago Bears free agents that benefit from Ryan Poles hireJordan Campbellon January 27, 2022 at 12:00 pm

The Chicago Bears completed the first part of the significant changes to their football operations on Tuesday as the team hired former Kansas City Chiefs executive Ryan Poles as their new general manager. The move marks the Bears having a new general manager making roster decisions for the first time in seven seasons.

For the Bears, the hiring of Poles was only the first part of their regime change. The Bears are still in the middle of a head coaching search. The reported finalists to become the next head coach of the Bears are former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

As the Bears embark on their regime change and finalize the hiring of their next head coach, the attention will soon turn to their roster with both free agency in March, and the NFL Draft in April being the first two tests for the new head coach and general manager.

Free agency and the NFL Draft will represent the first opportunity for the new head coach and Poles to have their input on the Bears’ roster. After finishing the 2021 NFL Regular Season with a 6-11 record, it is unclear if the Bears are eyeing a rebuild or simply looking to retool the roster and contend in 2022.

With Ryan Poles now in place as the Chicago Bears general manager, decisions loom regarding the team’s pending free agents.

Regardless of what the plan is for the team in 2022, the Bears have several key free agents in which their future will need to be decided before March. With Poles now in place as the general manager, there could be Bears’ free agents that were originally thought to be moving on but instead, could return to the team.