NFL analyst says relationship between Poles, Fitterer helped Bears originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Ryan Poles has been building the foundation with the Chicago Bears ever since his arrival as the team's general manager. He's cut down the roster to the bone. And he is currently in the early stages of revamping the roster of his volition.
As a scout turned director of player personnel with the Kansas City Chiefs, Poles has also been laying the foundation for his future post as general manager for years.
That's why NBC Sports' Peter King believes Poles and Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer were able to strike a deal for the No. 1 overall pick in an efficient manner. He attributes the deal's success to the duo's long-standing relationship from when they were scouts.
"There are times during the course of the fall when Ryan [Poles] calls in part of his duties when he was in Kansas City," King said on NBC Sports Chicago's Football Night In Chicago. "He would go to, let's say, Kansas State, Kansas and Iowa State in the course of one week. And many times he would see the same people on the road. And at the time, Scott Fitterer is a rising star scout with the Seattle Seahawks. So that was one of the guys he would see on the road quite a bit . . . And I think that's the kind of relationship he developed with Scott Fitterer."
King believes Poles' strong, ongoing relationship with Fitterer was instrumental to the Bears and Panthers working out a deal for the No. 1 pick. The Bears ended up dealing the No. 1 pick to the Panthers for the No. 9 pick, the No. 61 pick, a 2024 first-rounder, a 2025 second-rounder and DJ Moore.
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Reports surfaced about the Bears having multiple interested suitors in the No. 1 pick. One of the suitors was likely the Houston Texans. They possess the No. 2 pick in the draft and are managed by Nick Caserio.
King believes Poles' close-knit, working relationship with Fitterer played part in the Bears not getting a deal done with the Texans.
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"And it wasn't necessarily that he (Poles) didn't have high regard for Nick Caserio, but I don't think he had the ability to say to Nick Caserio 'Nick, let's be honest. Tell me what you're going to be able to do,'" King said. "He did have that ability with Scott Federer and said, 'Let's not fart around. Let's talk about what you actually can do.'"
King says Poles' rare knowledge of the Panthers could have helped, too.
"When the Carolina Panthers were looking for a general manager, who ended up being Scott Fitterer, David Tepper and the Panthers interviewed Ryan Poles. And so Ryan Poles had some a little bit of institutional knowledge about the Panthers."
King says Poles probably knew of Fitterer's willingness to do a deal. Poles could have also been privy to Tepper's impatience in wanting a quarterback. He could have used their weaknesses against them to churn out a deal.
Either way, as King mentioned, Poles and Fitterer have a comfortable history. The candor and transparency the two general managers share sped up the process. The Bears and Panthers had a deal done seven weeks away from the NFL draft.
And each party received what they were looking for.
