LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears common supervisor Ryan Poles will lead the staff’s seek for its subsequent head coach and is ready to discover an unconventional path to land his prime candidate.
When requested Tuesday throughout his season-ending information convention whether or not he would take into account buying and selling for a head coach, Poles mentioned all choices are on the desk.
“We’ll take a look at all avenues to get the most effective coach right here,” Poles mentioned.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is reportedly drawing curiosity from groups throughout the NFL. O’Connell, 39, made clear Monday that he needs to stay in Minnesota, however the potential for groups utilizing draft capital to commerce for the coach has stirred hypothesis.
The Bears will start their first spherical of interviews this week and can interview candidates from each the school and NFL ranks. Poles listed 4 qualities that he is prioritizing within the head coach he’ll in the end rent and mentioned he believes casting a “large internet” will land the group the fitting match.
“We’re in search of clear imaginative and prescient, a developmental mindset, actually good recreation administration, and clearly a plan to develop a quarterback goes to be a key a part of that as nicely,” Poles mentioned. “There’s going to be some names that you do not count on which might be going to shock you as a result of we’re digging deeper than we ever have earlier than.”
The Bears most just lately requested to interview Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, in keeping with ESPN’s Adam Schefter. They are additionally anticipated to interview former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, Bears interim coach Thomas Brown, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, amongst others.
The Bears additionally requested permission to interview Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, however Dallas has but to reply to the request, a supply instructed Schefter on Tuesday.
Poles mentioned the event of quarterback Caleb Williams will likely be a “enormous issue” in who the Bears select as their subsequent head coach however is not limiting his choices to favor an offensive coach regardless of how essential Williams’ development will likely be to attain success in his second season.
“I feel for a younger quarterback, clearly, there’s a super match,” he mentioned. “But on the finish of the day, you bought to take a look at all of the traits of what you are in search of in a head coach, and then you definitely acquired to see what’s the most effective bundle of these to usher in the constructing. Obviously, we’re speaking about management, accountability, a few of these necessary issues that carry over. Regardless of what the scenario is, these need to be there. To ignore these simply to go to the opposite facet, I feel that is a nasty deal, too. Really, it is the candidate that has the most effective assortment of all these issues.”
Poles additionally addressed the circumstances that led to the Bears’ 5-12 end, citing a have to “change again to our course of over consequence.” Poles mentioned the thrill heading into the 2024 season and heightened expectations after touchdown Williams with the No. 1 choose triggered the Bears to lack element, accountability and a “aggressive poise in essential conditions.”
“It has been an extended season the place these Mondays have been very, very tough to assessment after we now have come up brief,” Poles mentioned. “And I’ve to take accountability because the chief of the soccer operation for that. And I additionally need to be sure that we discover options to be sure that we do not make that mistake once more and we are able to proceed to enhance.”
Bears chairman George McCaskey and president/CEO Kevin Warren strengthened that Poles would be the one to rent Chicago’s subsequent head coach. The three, together with director of soccer administration Matt Feinstein, senior director of participant personnel Jeff King, chief administrative officer Ted Crews and chief HR officer Liz Geist, will comprise the Bears’ interview panel. Assistant common supervisor Ian Cunningham will likely be a part of the method when time permits whereas searching for common supervisor alternatives.
While Poles, who was employed in January 2022, wouldn’t make clear whether or not he has obtained a contract extension forward of starting the staff’s teaching search, McCaskey mentioned he doesn’t consider alignment between the contracts of the staff’s common supervisor and head coach is critical to draw the most effective candidate.
“I do not suppose so. In the interviews that I’ve participated in, that has by no means been an element,” McCaskey mentioned. “No one has ever are available in and mentioned, ‘I’m not going to return right here until the final supervisor and I are on the identical timeline.’ So, I do not suppose that is going to be an element.”
