RP
Ryan Poles
GM since Jan 2022(4 years, 4 mo)
GM rankings — every move graded by contract value, sentiment, and fan votes.
F
C
B+
Grade this GM's body of work
Grade Ryan Poles
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Should Ryan Poles be kept, fired, or extended?
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Fans say
B+
B+
Our grading
F
F
Fans grade it 9 tiers higher(Contract Value Index)
The Verdict on Ryan, in One Read
On the Contract Value Index, Ryan Poles's front office has been significantly overpaying relative to production (F Contract Value Index). That ranks 22nd of 32 on Sentiment among graded GMs. Reaction to the front office’s moves has been mixed (C Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal. The crowd has weighed in too: 1 fan vote land on a B+ Fan Verdict.
About Ryan Poles
Background and career path of the Chicago Bears general manager.
Path to the role
Poles played guard at Boston College and signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2008, but he was cut before the season. He returned to Boston College as a graduate assistant, then joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009 as a scouting assistant under Scott Pioli. Over 13 seasons in Kansas City he worked through nearly every personnel role and won Super Bowl LIV before the Bears hired him as general manager in January 2022.
Philosophy & notable moves
Poles inherited a rebuild and reset the roster aggressively. He traded star pass rusher Khalil Mack and linebacker Roquan Smith, then made a landmark deal in 2023 — moving the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina in a package that brought back receiver DJ Moore and a haul of draft capital. He used the picks to draft quarterback Caleb Williams first overall in 2024 and receiver Rome Odunze ninth, betting the franchise's future on a young passing core.
Fun facts
- He won Super Bowl LIV during his 13 seasons in the Kansas City Chiefs' front office.
- He briefly signed with the Bears as an undrafted offensive lineman in 2008 — the same franchise he now runs — before being cut.
- His 2023 trade sent the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina and netted receiver DJ Moore plus a stack of picks.
62
Transactions
62
Graded
0
Fan Votes
4 years
Tenure
League Comparison
#22
Sentiment Rank
of 32 GMs
#3
Fan Verdict Rank
of 4 GMs
#18
Most Active
62 moves
Contract Value
F
Poor contract value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
The Chicago Bears have been paying a premium this season, with several contracts that outpace the expected production level. Across 51 contracts, 4 grade out as good value and 8 look like overpays based on comparable deals around the league. The best bang-for-the-buck deal was Tremaine Edmunds (D+) at $12.0M/yr — getting linebacker production well above the price point. The priciest commitment relative to production was Elijah Hicks (D) at $2.6M/yr — the safety market may have been richer than the on-field return suggests. Cap flexibility could become a concern if these contracts don't produce at the expected level.
Public Sentiment
C
Mixed reception
NegativeMixedPositive
The Chicago Bears have had mixed results under Ryan Poles this 2026 cycle, with both praised and questioned decisions. Of 62 graded moves, 16 landed well with the fanbase, 25 drew mixed reactions, and 21 were viewed negatively. The standout move was bringing in Gabriel Plascencia (A+), which generated the most positive buzz. The most questioned decision was the Squirrel White signing (F), which drew the sharpest criticism. The fanbase remains split — some moves look promising while others need time to prove their worth.
Draft History (During Tenure)
Elite drafter — 82% hit rate (Rds 1-3)2026 Draft
R1#25
D
Dillon Thieneman—
R2#57
L
Logan Jones—
R3#69
S
Sam RoushAll 2026 Transactions
C-
C-
SigningJun 16, 2026
Chicago Bears sign LB Tony Fields II
D
D
ReleaseJun 16, 2026
Chicago Bears release LB Dominique Hampton
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About this general manager
Ryan Poles is the general manager of the Chicago Bears, in his 4th year as the lead executive. FanVerdicts covers every NFL GM and the full body of moves they've made — and asks fans to render the verdict. Cast your Fan Verdict on Ryan Poles, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts brings its own read too — the contract value of the deals they signed, the performance of the players they assembled, and the sentiment around recent moves — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index F, Performance C-, Sentiment C, Fan Verdict B+.
Each GM grade is rolled up from the underlying transactions attributed to that GM's tenure. When a GM signs a player, that signing's Contract Value Index grade flows into the GM's portfolio score; the same player's subsequent performance and sentiment grades flow into the GM's respective summaries. Phased attribution applies for new GMs: the first three years weight the prior GM's legacy deals at 100%/66%/33%, ramping the new GM's ownership of roster outcomes.
For broader context, the NFL hub has team rankings, GM report cards, and the transactions feed. The NFL GM rankings page ranks every front office side-by-side on the same four dimensions.
