Steelers saved Ryan Poles, Bears from themselves with Mike Tomlin trade block

The Chicago Bears are well into the offseason process, while the Pittsburgh Steelers are just starting theirs. However, the teams recently crossed paths regarding Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike Tomlin, though those talks ostensibly didn't go far.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Chicago contacted the Steelers to see if they would be open to trading Tomlin, which Pittsburgh dismissed. Questions about the longtime sideline general's future have emerged following a third Wild Card exit in as many playoff appearances since 2020. Be that as it may, intel suggests the Black and Gold have seemingly ended the speculation.

Considering general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears expressed interest in Tomlin, they're conceivably disappointed to find out Pittsburgh will retain him. Nonetheless, the Steelers did them a favor — for more reasons than one.

Steelers saved Ryan Poles, Bears from themselves with Mike Tomlin trade block

If history has told us anything, acquiring a coach with a championship pedigree via trade can be costly. The latest instance was in 2023 when the Denver Broncos sent a first- and third-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for Sean Payton. Chicago has too many holes to fill on both sides of the ball to give up precious draft capital like this.

Chicago went 5-12 this season. They aren't a Tomlin away from contention. Their problems go beyond coaching. The Bears allowed the most sacks in the NFL (68) and were a middle-of-the-pack defensive pass-rushing unit, indicating a need to bolster the trenches. Those are premium positions in football, with the NFL Draft presenting prime opportunities to address them.

Moreover, after investing the 2024 No. 1 overall pick in quarterback Caleb Williams, an offensive-minded head with play-calling experience should be Chicago's top priority. While Tomlin is a respected leader of men, his expertise is defense. He offers player development know-how, which benefits the young franchise passer, but that's not the primary focus (or at least it isn't supposed to be).

For whatever it's worth, the Bears' actions tell us they're factoring Williams heavily into their decision-making process. FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that Chicago's head coaching vacancy is a "two-horse race" between Mike McCarthy and Ben Johnson. They're each established offensive architects with play-calling experience and better options than Tomlin for the Windy City organization.