The Chicago Bears surprised many when it was reported that general manager Ryan Poles is being signed to a multi-year contract extension that keeps him in Chicago for the next five years.

It’s a move that came as a surprise to many considering the Bears have gone 15-36 since Poles took over as GM in 2022, which includes no winning seasons, no playoff appearances, three last-place finishes in the NFC North and two seasons with five or fewer wins.

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Poles has made some impactful moves, including most notably the trade of the first overall pick in 2023 to the Carolina Panthers that resulted in an impressive haul that includes quarterback Caleb Williams, receiver DJ Moore and right tackle Darnell Wright. He’s also landed other big names via trade, including defensive end Montez Sweat and most recently guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.

But Poles has just as many misses as wins, including trading for wide receiver Chase Claypool and offensive lineman Ryan Bates, drafting receiver Velus Jones Jr. in the third round and trading linebacker Roquan Smith (then signing Tremaine Edmunds). Although, Poles’ biggest blunder was the decision to bring back former head coach Matt Eberflus last season, which led to one of the most disastrous seasons in franchise history including a 10-game losing streak, 5-12 record and in-season coach firing.

This offseason, the Bears hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach, where his track record as one of the NFL’s brightest offensive minds (and success in Detroit) speaks for itself.

Johnson talked about the importance of organizational alignment when it comes to a franchise’s success, and this is a move that screams Johnson. With Poles’ recent extension, the GM and head coach are now tied together through the 2029 season.

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While this move wasn’t a complete surprise for some Bears fans, given the alignment factor, you can’t say the extension was earned based on the on-field product. Sure, winning back-to-back-to-back offseason champions in 2023, 2024 and 2025 is all fun and games in the preseason, but the lack of results on the field would warrant questions about whether Poles is the guy for the job.

But with Johnson’s hiring as head coach, he chose the Bears; he chose quarterback Caleb Williams; and he chose Poles to align himself with.

The decision to extend Poles wasn’t about rewarding him for his lack of results on the field, rather faith in the direction of this team under the leadership of Poles and Johnson. Whether that pays off remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: Poles and Johnson are in it together.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Did the Chicago Bears make right move in extending GM Ryan Poles?