Bears GM Search Narrows to Two

The Bears announced on Monday they have narrowed the field for the general manager's position to two candidates: Phil Emery, who is currently with the Chiefs, and Jason Licht, the Patriots' director of player personnel.

Who they decide to go with will signal how much of a change the Bears want to make.

Emery has Halas Hall connections, having worked for the Bears as an area scout from '98-04. He is familiar with the Bears scouts and longtime personnel, so it's unlikely that he'll scrap the entire Bears scout system. Currently, he is believed to be the favorite for the position and is considered a hard worker who is well-liked around the league.

Licht, who is currently still working with the Patriots as they prepare for the Super Bowl, is a long shot. He has had the benefit of working within a successful program that consistently wins. It's likely that he would want to make bigger changes around Halas Hall to implement what he's learned in New England and Philadelphia.

The good news is that no matter who they hire, the Bears are starting fresh. Emery hasn't worked in Chicago for eight years. Tim Ruskell, the current Bears director of player personnel did not make the cut for the Bears next round of interviews, which will happen this week.