The Bears' 10-game losing streak in response to the Hail Mary debacle forced Poles to acknowledge a failure — the team with eight captains and a "really special" group of players needs a boost in leadership.

It sounds like Ben Johnson is open to working with Ryan Poles, which could have long-term implications for the Bears' GM.

GM-centric workflow models are more common in the modern NFL than those that start with head coaches, though some teams still have their sideline leaders atop the personnel pyramid.