Lying season in the NFL has come to a close, and the Bears have walked away with the league’s greatest truth-teller, Ryan Poles. In my years of covering the league, I haven’t seen an executive in the sport be as honest as Poles has been on the record. Sure, a team exec might text you some info, call you or even tell you face-to-face something that is contradictory to what they’ve said publicly, but those exchanges are usually ‘‘off the record’’ or ‘‘on background.’’
Poles’ penchant for honesty has been difficult to adjust to. Perhaps 20 years of covering this league has left me jaded, but I’m enjoying watching Poles be so open about personnel and strategy. Most general managers — and definitely their coaches — hold on to that information like it’s Gollum’s ‘‘Precious.’’ What has happened with Poles has been refreshing.
