Bears GM Ryan Poles has lots of options this offseason
CHICAGO (CBS) -- For a team that just finished with the worst record in the NFL, the offseason is lining up in what looks like a best-case scenario for the Bears.
New Bears President Kevin Warren has experience with getting a stadium built with the Minnesota Vikings and is focusing on accomplishing the same for the Bears in Arlington Heights. The Bears also have a franchise QB in house in Justin Fields, and a general manager with options.
GM Ryan Poles will have about $108 million in cap space as he figured out what direction to go in free agent spending. That is about $45 million more than the Atlanta Falcons, who has the second most cap space.
Poles also, of course, has the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft in April.
Warren says Poles has complete control of football operations – but there will be collaboration.
"I'm on board with that. I think that makes us better. There's a lot of thing – we don't talk about it enough, but there's a lot of football – collaborating with businesses with football – that has to happen for a healthy organization," Poles said. "So the one thing you can probably tell – and we are alike – is just the creative thing. There's nothing better than to sit down with a group of people that are creative, and just feel completely free to dump your thoughts on the table – really cool things can happen from that, and it can circulate and come out with making a really cool decision that can help our franchise take the next step."