Peter King Credits Relationship Between Ryan Poles and Scott Fitterer for Bears' Success in Free Agency
Since Ryan Poles took over as general manager of the Chicago Bears, he has been focused on building a strong foundation for the team. He has worked tirelessly to trim the roster down to its essential parts and is currently in the early stages of overhauling the team to his liking. Poles, who previously worked as a scout and director of player personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs, has been preparing for his current role for years.
According to NBC Sports' Peter King, Poles and Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer were able to efficiently strike a deal for the No. 1 overall pick due to their longstanding relationship from when they were scouts. King noted that during his time as a scout, Poles would often see Fitterer on the road when scouting players from Kansas State, Kansas, and Iowa State. As Fitterer was then a rising star scout with the Seattle Seahawks, the two developed a close relationship that helped facilitate the recent deal.
Peter King believes that Ryan Poles' close working relationship with Scott Fitterer played a significant role in the Chicago Bears' failure to strike a deal with the Houston Texans. While Poles respected Texans' General Manager Nick Caserio, he did not have the same level of frankness with him as he did with Fitterer. According to King, Poles and Fitterer's familiarity and transparency in their negotiations sped up the deal.
King also suggests that Poles' previous interview for the Panthers' General Manager position gave him some institutional knowledge of the organization, including David Tepper's impatience for a quarterback. Poles could have used this knowledge to his advantage to get a favorable deal for the Bears.
Thanks to their history, Poles and Fitterer were able to work together quickly and efficiently to strike a deal that satisfied both parties. The Bears acquired the No. 1 overall pick, while the Panthers received what they were looking for as well.
| POLL | ||
23 MARS | 37 ANSWERS Peter King Credits Relationship Between Ryan Poles and Scott Fitterer for Bears' Success in Free Agency Do you still trust Ryan Poles? | ||
| Yes | 24 | 64.9 % |
| No | 13 | 35.1 % |
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