Candidates, connections and ‘Canandaigua’: The Chicago Bears coaching and GM searches have reached the in-person phase — and outside intrigue is peaking

Similarly, some Bears fans figure to feel a certain level of disappointment when they realize Rick Smith, the former Houston Texans GM and executive vice president of football operations, never interviewed here. Smith, according to one league source, privately expressed interest in learning more about the Bears’ future plans as early as December, before it was known what exactly the organization planned to do with then-GM Ryan Pace or team president/CEO Ted Phillips.