Bear Digest

Chicago Bears reward contract negotiator; what about their GM?

Matt Feinstein is now a vice president of football adminstration with the team after receiving a promotion.
Gene Chamberlain|
The Bears announced the promotion of their contract negotiator, Matt Feinstein.
The Bears announced the promotion of their contract negotiator, Matt Feinstein. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears have rewarded the man integral to any player contract they sign.

Matt Feinstein has been promoted from director of football administration to vice president of football administration.

"Matt is an invaluable asset to our football operation, and his well-earned promotion benefits our entire organization,” general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement issued by the team. "We look forward to Matt continuing to play an integral role in our pursuit of championship-level performance, and we are excited that Matt and his family remain members of the Chicago Bears family."

Feinstein has been chief contract negotiator and the salary cap expert for the Bears since he replaced Joey Laine in this role. Feinstein has had other roles with the team, as well.

During the search for a head coach, Feinstein was praised for his contributions in helping them sign Ben Johnson.

Feinstein was made director of football administration at the outset of Poles' era as GM. He had worked from 2015 through 2022 for the NFL in analytics and labor relations.

It does make one wonder what the next step is for ownership when the contract negotiator is getting a promotion and the GM is due for a contract extension while earning praise from team president. Could that Ryan Poles extension merely be a matter of finishing the 2025 draft?

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.