Ryan Poles wrapped his opening statement of the Matt Eberflus firing press conference saying the Bears will be looking forward while staying rooted in the present.

The Bears general manager doesn’t want to wish the rest of the season away, even if playoff hopes are essentially dashed and so much focus already on the future.

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“I’m really excited about these next five weeks and the opportunity that we have, but I do think that it’s critical that we focus on San Francisco for the remainder of this week as we get prepared and get our football team prepared,” Poles said on Monday. “I look forward to circling back in the near future to talk about the search as we put those plans together.”

Poles might not talk about it much until after the season, but head-coach talk will be ever-present as we make our way through the season.

That’s clear in the mailbag, which continues to focus on who might be next head coach. So let’s get to them in this Wednesday mailbag, which is the second of the week due to an overwhelming question volume. Let’s get to your questions…right…now:

Josh Porfilio from Joliet, Illinois

Ryan Poles should have been fired along with Matt Eberflus. What was Kevin Warren and George McCaskey thinking? Ryan poles can’t even put a good offensive line on the field that is good.

Bair: I can’t agree with you here, Josh. While Ryan Poles deserves plenty of criticism for the decision to keep Matt Eberflus around after last season and signing off on the Shane Waldron hire – those choices are a major reason why this season has soured – but there’s no arguing that the franchise is loaded at the skill spots, has a franchise quarterback in the making and hasn’t signed many players to extensions they didn’t deserve. There’s a good nucleus here, though, to your point, more investment is needed along the offensive and defensive lines. That especially true on the interior, where they need upgrades and depth.

Poles may have invested from the outside in, at receiver and running back and tight end first, and hindsight suggests the strategy might’ve been better in reverse. Poles thought he had more depth up front than he’s got, which is another 2024 error, but he has done lots of good here. And that Bryce Young trade buys him more swings at the draft.

When Kevin Warren announced that Poles would remain as GM, I think it was a good move. And a clear sign that the Bears think they’re a coach way from success. And, to your point, maybe a lineman or two.

Michael Shields from Springfield, Illinois

Why can’t the Bears find the right head coach and quarterback?

Bair: You’re right, Michael. The Bears have long struggled to fill those two positions. They’ve swung and missed at both spots and have messed up the timing of these decision, as you can graphically see below:

There is one difference between this situation and the others. It sure looks like the Bears got the quarterback thing right, with four years left on a rookie contract. Caleb Williams is such a dynamic talent that coaches will be excited about the prospect of working with him. This likely won’t be a situation where a highly-drafted quarterback falls flat.

The most important thing now is finding a coach to work well with Williams and form a partnership that lasts and lasts. Get the hire wrong and you can mess up the trajectory of the franchise and the quarterback himself. Too many coaches and coordinators can make like difficult on a young passer.

That’s why Poles has to get this one right. And he’ll have far more time to make the choice than he did in 2022, when he and Eberflus were essentially hired together. This will he the first Poles hire, in my opinion, though it’s clear that Warren will be involved here.

Rick Hill from Madison, Wisconsin

How about Vic Fangio?

Bair: Vic Fangio ranks among the best defensive coordinators of his era. There’s no argument about that. He’s pass-rush scheme has been so good for so long, and his attacking style has paid dividends for several teams. He has gotten one shot to lead a team, and his tenure in Denver didn’t go great.

He earned that job after a long time in Chicago where he was a productive defensive coordinator. It’s hard to see him getting another shot at all, let alone for a Bears team needing an offensive authority. He has head coaching experience, but I doubt they’ll dip back into their past for the next head coach.

Teddy Bishop from Rockford, Ill.

Would the Bears ever dip into the college ranks? There might be some good candidates there, especially if Ryan Day gets let go by Ohio State.

Bair: That’s hard to say, Teddy, though there would be plenty of college coaches who fall into the “leader of men” and “in-game strategist” who could translate those abilities from college to the pros. Not all of them make a successful transition to the pros, which makes a college coach a risk. Organizational structures are so much different. So is dealing with young men versus veterans with families and serious paychecks.

I’ve seen Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman has someone who could make the jump, as a strong leader and someone who has turned a top program around fast. He’s young and charismatic and could identify with NFL players. The rumor mill suggests that Ryan Day might be on the way out of Ohio State without a national title. He’s got a good gig there. He has some NFL experience, as quarterbacks coach with Philadelphia (2015) and San Francisco (2016). He could make the jump to the pros, but I still think the Bears are looking for career-NFL coaches. This seems like a time in the team’s history to avoid big risks and go for a known commodity at the professional level.