Ryan Poles Revealed When Fans Can Expect Player Extensions

Ryan Poles is a busy man. He already engineered the blockbuster trade with Carolina for a large package of picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore. Since then, he’s been rapidly reshaping the roster with several free agent additions. Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, DeMarcus Walker, and Andrew Billings bulk up the defensive front seven. Nate Davis, D’Onta Foreman, and Robert Tonyan bolster the offense. Travis Homer arrives to help the special teams. It’s been a productive past week. That does leave one question unaccounted for.

Does Poles plan to extend any of the Bears’ current players? A few worthwhile candidates did enough last season to justify a discussion. The GM has repeatedly stated that his goal is to reward homegrown talent. While he failed with Roquan Smith, that won’t deter him moving forward. The team is operating according to a schedule. Extending players isn’t the plan right now. Poles spoke on Bears Weekly for ESPN 1000 about the careful management of team resources and when he will shift his focus to player extensions.

Ryan Poles once again shows a clear understanding of scheduling.

Worrying about extensions right now doesn’t make sense. The team is focusing on retooling the roster in free agency. The draft is drawing closer. All of his energy must be focused on that. However, the demands on his time will have eased by August. The roster will be mostly assembled, the team preparing for the regular season. It’s usually around that time when the GM fades into the background. He will have more than enough time to start serious discussions with agents about extensions.

The only question left to answer is who gets them. Ryan Poles has singled out Cole Kmet as somebody who really impressed last season. The tight end led the team in touchdown catches. Darnell Mooney was by far their most reliable receiver before an ankle injury ended his season. Jaylon Johnson continues to be a solid corner. They could even look into an early extension for Khalil Herbert, who is a fantastic fit for their offense. Securing any of them would provide more positive vibes heading into the season.