Rivalries in sports are typically reserved for two categories: players or teams. It’s Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady or the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the New York Giants. Rivalries are always reserved for on the field. Rarely do they spill over to off of it. Yet sometimes in a rare sequence of circumstances, there is an exception to that rule. It seems this has become the case for Ryan Pace and John Lynch.
The two men have a connection that goes back 16 years. Pace became a scout for the New Orleans Saints in 2002. That same year Lynch was winning the Super Bowl as the starting safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Neither men could’ve known at the time they’d cross paths again in spring of 2017 when Pace placed a phone call to the San Francisco 49ers.
Lynch, the new GM of the team, held the #2 pick in the NFL draft. He was fielding possible calls to move down, hoping to acquire extra draft picks to aid the rebuild of his depleted roster. Pace, on the other hand, was seeking a slight move up the board in order to secure a new quarterback. The two spoke for quite some time and eventually settled on a deal.
That deal, unbeknownst to everybody, is what sparked their unlikely rivalry.
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Ryan Pace and John Lynch story began with a “fleecing”
The Bears moved up from #3 to #2, selecting North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky. In return the 49ers received a third round pick in 2017, a fourth round pick in 2017 and a third round pick in 2018. Experts were baffled by the deal at the time. They felt it was totally unnecessary for Pace to make such a move, believing Trubisky would’ve been available at #3 had he just waited. It was clear to them that Lynch had hoodwinked him, that the Bears were “fleeced.”
Time has proven that’s not necessarily the case. So far the return on that trade for San Francisco hasn’t been overwhelming. Their first pick, Solomon Thomas, had just three sacks as a rookie. Their other first rounder, Reuben Foster, was recently arrested for domestic violence and possession of an assault rifle. The third round pick last year they picked up was traded to New Orleans, who took Alvin Kamara. Thus far one can say neither side holds a decisive advantage in this microwave rivalry.
It’s about to heat up again
Now it looks like Round 2 is set to begin. The legal tampering window for NFL free agency begins today with the new season opening March 14th. Both teams have some of the most cap space in the league and are expected to be big spenders on the market. What’s more, it appears they’ll also be pursuing the same players, pitting Pace and Lynch head-to-head yet again.
Per @JasonLaCanfora, the #49ers, #Bears, and #Browns are "hot after" Allen Robinson, with the #Ravens and #Panthers also interested: https://t.co/56kVaATH6K
— Nick Mensio (@NickMensio) March 11, 2018
The Allen Robinson situation has Bears fans transfixed. The former Jaguars wide receiver is considered the best among those set to hit the market. Securing him would give a team a 25-year old player who has produced at peak levels in the NFL. It’s no surprise the Bears and 49ers are both in on him, having less than ideal situations at receiver. So who will win in this latest tug-of-war?
On the surface, it looks like Lynch has the inside position.
He has more cap space, a team on the west coast, and a more proven head coach-quarterback combination in Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo. The Bears aren’t devoid of negotiating power. They reside close to Robinson’s hometown of Detroit. Robinson is reportedly a big Cubs fan and also friends with Bears safety Adrian Amos.
This will come down to who can be the better negotiator and who’s willing to be more aggressive. Pace has a rough reputation in free agency, so the odds appear against him. Will the narrative that Lynch is superior continue? That’s for him to decide.
