Ben Johnson is the big name on everyone’s lips as the regular season draws to a close. The Detroit Lions offensive coordinator could have his choice of any head coaching job in the upcoming cycle. However, he seems to have eyes for the Chicago Bears, largely driven by an admiration for quarterback Caleb Williams. There is one glaring issue: the presence of Ryan Poles. For weeks, it has been suggested that Johnson would prefer to work with a personnel guy he is familiar with, creating alignment within the organization. That would not be the case with Poles.
Draft insider Charlie Campbell of Walter Football revealed some fascinating details on what’s going on. From what he understands, Poles is trying to carefully steer the Bears away from the idea of hiring Johnson. It has nothing to do with his competence, mind you. He fears the coach would try to push him out as GM. Johnson even has a name in mind for a replacement. That is Washington Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark. The two worked together from 2019 through 2023, with Newmark serving as a director of player personnel. He spent 26 seasons in Detroit.
Poles would much prefer Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, whom they have a personal relationship with from their days at Boston College.
He might not be as safe as some would have you believe. The fact that he knows there is a good chance he’s out if Johnson convinces the top brass that he deserves the job speaks volumes. Actively arguing against the idea is a pure survival tactic. The messaging on Poles’ status has been inconsistent lately. Adam Schefter and Albert Breer indicated he was likely safe, but Bill Zimmerman believed they weren’t operating based on inside information. It comes from Kevin Warren’s statement after Thanksgiving that the plan was for Poles to lead the next search, which was the only thing he could say at the time.
Zimmerman believes there is still a strong chance Poles is fired.
Ben Johnson might be pressuring the Bears to do that. If they want him to take their job, it will require a significant gesture. Firing the GM so he can bring in somebody he trusts would qualify. Keep in mind that Tom Pelissero, who is said to have strong ties to Warren, already stated there is a strong possibility Johnson ends up here. If that is true, Poles’ fate might already be sealed.
