4 things we learned from Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles at the NFL combine

INDIANAPOLIS – Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles met with members of the media Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

It was the first time Poles spoke publicly since the team introduced Ben Johnson on Jan. 22.

The head coach and GM will be in Indianapolis all week meeting with many of the 329 draft prospects invited to the combine. This is a big week for the NFL. It’s the unofficial kickoff to the offseason.

Here are four things we learned from Poles on Tuesday.

1. Johnson will be heavily involved in personnel decisions

It’s no surprise, but the new head coach is going to be right at Poles' side throughout the entire offseason. Johnson brings his own unique perspective to the game of football, and Poles plans on making the most of that knowledge.

The best teams across the NFL usually have the GM and head coach in lockstep when it comes to player acquisitions. Johnson’s approach will differ from his predecessor Matt Eberflus' in two key ways. First, and most obvious, he comes from an offensive background. Second, he comes from an analytical background.

Johnson’s influence is most apparent in identifying the types of players he wants at every position. No team is going to find their perfect player at every spot, but having a vision is where it starts.

“His ability to really give a clear vision of what he wants and needs to be successful has been really, really good,” Poles said.

Poles noted that Johnson’s vision is what drew the Bears to him during their coaching search.

“We’re constantly talking about how we need to go about improving our football team and adding to our football team, so those conversations will be happening almost on a daily basis,” Poles said.

2. The Bears have money to spend. Will they spend it?

The salary cap for 2025 has not been set in stone yet, but it is expected to be between $277.5 million and $281.5 million. Either way, the Bears are going to be near the top of the league in spending power.

If the cap settles in the middle at $279.5 million, the Bears will have a projected $79 million to spend after cutting defensive end DeMarcus Walker and tight end Gerald Everett last week. That gives them the fourth-most available salary cap space in the NFL.

Over his first three years, Poles has been fairly selective when it comes to free agency, but he also hasn’t been afraid to spend money. Two years ago, he went on somewhat of a spending spree that included a pair of linebackers in Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards, the aforementioned Walker and interior lineman Nate Davis.

Last year, the Bears signed running back D’Andre Swift and paid veteran receiver Keenan Allen more than $23 million after trading for him in March.

Free agency negotiations can begin March 10. If Poles wants to go on a spending spree, he has the power to do so.

“The clearer the vision, the more aggressive you can be,” Poles said when asked about free agency.

But if there are certain players that kind of hit all the checked boxes that you need, there’s really no reason to hold back. I feel like you can be aggressive in those situations.”

—  Ryan Poles, Bears general manager

He noted that he still wants to be selective. The NFL’s best teams are built through the draft, using free agency to supplement certain areas of need.

“But if there are certain players that kind of hit all the checked boxes that you need, there’s really no reason to hold back,” Poles said. “I feel like you can be aggressive in those situations.”

3. How can they find a pass rusher?

NFL general managers have a calculus they must work through every offseason. Free agency comes first, with the draft in April. There are too many positions to address all of them in free agency, but there’s also no way to predict who will be available when your draft slot comes up.

In other words, there are a ton of unknowns.

What is known is that the Bears need another pass rusher to pair with Pro Bowl talent Montez Sweat. That’s even more true after cutting Walker, who started all 17 games in 2024. Teams can put a plan together in March, but the laws of supply and demand play a part in this.

“You can have philosophical beliefs in how you build a football team, how you prioritize, but the supply has to match the needs, and those opportunities have to present themselves at the right time,” Poles said. “We’re starting to put that puzzle piece together.”

Asked if he would rather find a pass rusher in free agency or the draft, Poles pointed to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

“I would probably argue and say if you [sign] a good pass rusher and you draft a pass rusher, you can’t have enough good ones,” Poles said.

4. What happens at left tackle?

All eyes remain on the offensive line. The unit needs improvement pretty much across the board. The only certainty appears to be right tackle Darnell Wright, who was the No. 10 pick in the 2023 draft.

Changes feel likely on the interior, where left guard Teven Jenkins, center Coleman Shelton and right guard Matt Pryor are all impending free agents.

Meanwhile, left tackle Braxton Jones is set to return for the final year of his rookie contract in 2025. But that also could be a spot where the Bears look for an upgrade.

Jones missed the final two games of the 2024 season with an ankle injury that required surgery. Poles said Jones' recovery is progressing as expected.

He did not, however, indicate that the left tackle spot remains Jones' position to lose.

“That’s another spot where there’s going to be competition, and you build the line with the best five guys, so we’ll see where that goes through this offseason and training camp,” Poles said.

If the Bears look to add a left tackle, Jones would be a high-quality swing tackle with 40 NFL starts under his belt. But with needs along the interior, it’s fair to wonder if the Bears can successfully upgrade all of those positions in one offseason. Jones is a serviceable starting left tackle. If there are bigger needs elsewhere, Jones has shown he can do the job.

With the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft, the Bears likely will be in position to grab one of the best offensive linemen, if that’s a direction they want to go.