Knowing that Ryan Pace is out there seeking the next Chicago Bears quarterback fills a lot of fans with dread. They’re still scarred by what happened with Mitch Trubisky back in 2017. Now ownership is willing to give the guy who passed on Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes another bite at the apple? That seems incredibly dangerous. Especially if he decides to direct his efforts to the draft.
For the first time, the GM himself was reported in close proximity to one of the top prospects in the 2021 class. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press relayed that Pace would be attending the North Dakota State pro day. The featured attraction will of course be quarterback Trey Lance, who just concluded an undefeated career with the Bison. During which he threw just one interception.
Bears GM Ryan Pace is among the RSVPs for Trey Lance’s pro day, too!
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) March 11, 2021
This would seem innocent enough.
Except anybody with a knowledge of history should be hearing klaxons in their ears. Why? The entire concern with Trubisky four years ago was his lack of experience. He only started one season at North Carolina. While talented, many viewed him as a still-unproven project. It seemed like people didn’t get enough time to see the player he really was. Time proved those concerns valid.
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Similar worries surround Lance. Like Trubisky, he is physically gifted. Good size, can run really well, has a strong enough arm and appears to be a high-character kid with leadership skills. He also has thrown just 318 passes in his college career. For context? Trubisky threw 572. If that weren’t concerning enough, Lance has played FCS competition in college. At least Trubisky faced actual Division I opponents.
Now Pace is involved all over again? That is terrifying.
Ryan Pace may not have a shot at Lance anyway
The buzz around the young quarterback is hot. Expectations are he’ll go early in this draft. The top 10 for sure and maybe even the top five. There are a lot of teams bunched into that area of the 1st round who need quarterbacks. Even a clear project like him would seem appealing. This means if Pace has eyes for him the way he did Trubisky, he’ll have to climb the board a long way to get him.
That doesn’t seem likely. This doesn’t mean the trip was a complete waste of time though. Another prospect at that pro day should’ve had the Bears’ attention in Dillon Radunz. The big left tackle just concluded an exemplary career for North Dakota State and is viewed by many as a top 50 prospect. His size, athleticism, and power stand out consistently on tape. He has the chops to be a left tackle in the NFL and could be an option for them in the 1st or 2nd round. Ryan Pace is long overdue for a big investment in the offensive line.
Especially if he’s planning to go big at quarterback.
Lance is a gifted young man. His story is an inspiring one. However, he isn’t what this regime needs right now. He won’t help this team win in 2021. So either the Bears have no plans to draft him or they believe he is franchise-caliber and can play well enough as a rookie to secure their jobs even if the team struggles. Knowing Pace? It’s never wise to ignore him in situations like these.
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