The recent contract extension signed by Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles now locks him in through the 2029 season, aligning with new head coach Ben Johnson’s five-year deal.
The extension, first reported by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on July 11, speaks to the confidence team president Kevin Warren and the McCaskey ownership group have in Poles, who has had a 15–36 tenure in his three years as GM. The hope is that the arrival of Johnson will give the organization more stability and a well-respected offensive mind to work with quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Bears also extended Poles so that his contract is now aligned with Johnson’s, a signal both to Poles and his new coach that they’re in this thing together moving forward.
Despite that rationale, the extension has gotten mixed reactions around the league. Critics point to Poles’s poor 15–36 record and have argued that rewarding mediocrity tends to undermine accountability. “Whenever you can extend a 15-36 GM you have to do it,” analyst Arif Hasan wrote on X. Marc Silverman of ESPN 1000 and the Daily Herald thinks it was a “mistake” extending Poles this soon.
“I would have waited a year before committing to him, but this was expected at this point,” Windy City Gridiron’s Bill Zimmerman wrote on X.
Perhaps the most interesting reaction came from former Green Bay Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert.
Former Packers QB Kurt Benkert Shares Story About Bears GM Ryan Poles
GettyKurt Benkert, former Packers QB, shared a story about Bears GM Ryan Poles.
“Ryan Poles once told me that I was better than their current QB3 at the time, but he wasn’t going to sign me because he didn’t feel like cutting him and mixing up the QB room,” Benkert wrote on X on July 11, captioned above a post referencing Poles’ extension.
Benkert, who never threw an NFL pass, has a growing presence as a content creator since leaving the game in 2023. He has been critical of Poles in previous posts, as well.
After three seasons spent mostly on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad, Benkert earned a tryout at the Packers’ post-draft rookie minicamp in May 2021. He impressed enough to earn a contract. Throughout training camp and preseason, he served as the Packers’ third-string quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love.
In October of 2021, Green Bay released Benkert during final roster cuts, but re-signed him to their practice squad. He logged his first—and only—NFL regular-season appearance on December 12 of that season, kneeling twice in the final seconds to seal a 45–30 win over the Bears.
In January 2022, he signed a reserve/future contract with Green Bay, but was ultimately released amid offseason roster adjustments.
In September of 2022, the Bears brought Benkert in for a workout. His familiarity with then-offensive coordinator Luke Getsy—who had coached him in Green Bay in 2021—was likely the reason why. It was likely this time Benkert was referencing.
In early 2023, he signed to the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas, making two appearances: one in relief and one start before suffering fractured ribs. He announced his retirement from professional football in August of 2023.
Which QBs Were on the Bears’ Roster at That Time?
Justin Fields was the Bears’ unquestioned starter in 2022, with veteran Trevor Siemian as his backup. Nathan Peterman was QB3 for the bulk of that season, but the Bears also had Tim Boyle on the roster for one game. Thus, Benkert was likely referring to Peterman, but he didn’t get into specifics.
It was clear from his comment he was being critical of the way Poles handled that situation, though.
Still, defenders of Poles can point to shrewd extensions for DJ Moore and Jaylon Johnson, and the fact that Poles ultimately did snag Johnson, who was the most sought-after coach in the previous coaching cycle.
If Poles and Johnson can create a winning culture, it’ll go a long way to silencing all these critics.
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