Chicago Bears fans weren’t happy when the news dropped that Ryan Pace was returning for 2021. The GM isn’t exactly Mr. Popular the past two years as the team has sat mired in mediocrity. Most of this is of his own making. Brought on by his constant misfires at the quarterback position. Mike Glennon? Nope. Mitch Trubisky? Sorry. Nick Foles? Pipe dream. Pace has had three distinct cracks at fixing the position. All have failed. Yet George McCaskey is ready to give him another one.
That is beyond infuriating to many. It would seem people around the league find it equally baffling. Let’s just say Pace doesn’t have a lot of supporters in the NFL community these days. At least not when it comes to fixing the quarterback position. If anything, most believe he is inevitably going to give up way more than he should for somebody. Kalyn Kahler of Bleacher Report revealed as much in her recent column.
“Pace also has a history of overpaying at the position. He gave up two third-round picks and a fourth-round pick to move up one spot to pick Trubisky, a move that many in the league thought was unnecessary. One source once likened it to trading up against a ghost. In 2017, Pace signed free-agent quarterback Mike Glennon to a huge deal that many around the league believed was well over his market value.”
Nobody believes Pace will be able to control himself forever.
Thus far he’s done fine. He didn’t get crazy in the Matthew Stafford pursuit and thus far he hasn’t made any sort of massive push for Carson Wentz. This despite constant rumors of the Bears having interest. Not to mention Pace’s own interest in him that dates back to 2016. The GM has remained disciplined in his approach. How long will that last though?
Sooner or later the pool of options will really start to dwindle. If Wentz goes elsewhere and other top veteran options don’t materialize, that is likely when the man will start to get really desperate. He’ll throw a huge amount of pick and/or money at a quarterback who isn’t worthy of them just to say he made a splash. That or he’ll give away a giant package for one of the top prospects in the NFL draft.
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Ryan Pace is trying to thread a needle
He needs to not only find a quarterback who can help the Bears win in 2021. He also has to find one that allows them to keep their current roster mostly intact. That is an enormous challenge. Thus far the names the Bears have been connected to the most include Wentz, Sam Darnold, and Derek Carr. All make sense for their own reasons.
Wentz carries a big contract but may not cost a 1st round pick to acquire. Darnold is on a cheap rookie deal and also may not require a 1st rounder, though he’s less proven. Carr? He’s the best target of the three with an affordable contract. However, he also figures to be the toughest to acquire. Most likely needing two 1st round picks. So any move Ryan Pace makes will carry a big risk.
In the end? He has nobody to blame but himself.
He had his big opportunity back in 2017. Three quarterbacks to choose from and he ends up picking the only one of the three who isn’t any good. Now he’s scrambling to cover up his mistake before it’s too late. Something that rarely works out well in the end. This feels like a last stand for Pace. One that will require a miracle to escape.