All the talk lately about the future of the Chicago Bears’ top brass centers on Matt Nagy. He is under constant pressure from fans and media alike. While his team is 3-4, three of those losses have come in ugly blowouts to the Rams, Browns, and now Buccaneers. Nobody takes this team seriously as a contender and it’s largely because their passing offense is a joke. While all this is happening though, some people are asking, ‘What about Ryan Pace?’
It’s a fair question. Pace has been the GM of the Bears since 2015. In that time they have a winning record once and two playoff appearances. Both of which were one-and-done. His tenure is characterized by some notable draft misses (Kevin White, Mitch Trubisky, Anthony Miller) and a string of bad offenses. Even before Nagy arrived. His biggest strengths have been building a consistently good defense, finding quality running backs, and digging up starting-caliber players either late in a draft or even undrafted free agency.
Is that enough to justify him keeping his job even if Nagy has to go?
This is a worthwhile question to ask. All signs continue to point towards the McCaskey family loving Pace. They feel his leadership and vision for the organization have carried them into the 21st century. He understands what must be done to create a true contender and has worked tirelessly to get there. It just hasn’t quite worked out at the two positions that matter most. Head coach and quarterback.
Now the feeling is the team has a QB they can work with in Justin Fields. The problem is he’s trapped in a bad offensive scheme under Nagy and surrounded by players who haven’t been good enough. Especially up front. That falls on Pace. So is it possible he might be out too? Adam Jahns of The Athletic made an interesting point. An answer might be coming in the next week at the NFL trade deadline.
“What Pace does could be revealing. If Pace trades players and does so aggressively, it could be viewed as an indication that Bears ownership is OK moving ahead with him.
If not, ownership might prefer to see this season through and then decide what to do with Pace and Nagy in January.”
No action by Ryan Pace could be damning evidence
The Bears are in a tricky spot. At 3-4, they’re not out of the NFC playoff picture. Even so, it’s clear this team isn’t competing for a championship in 2021. They have to start thinking about doing whatever they can to stockpile resources for building around Fields next offseason. For that, they need two things. Draft picks and cap space. This is why it would make sense they’d try to unload any veteran player that might have a market at the deadline. Two names that probably stand out the most are Allen Robinson and Akiem Hicks.
If Ryan Pace accepts reality and makes these kinds of moves? It’s a surefire sign he isn’t going anywhere. On the other hand, if he makes another aggressive trade to bring in more help? That also would suggest the team is fine with him. That said if the Bears do nothing? Then one has to wonder if ownership has decided to shackle the GM on any further decisions regarding the future of this organization.
Tuesday, November 2nd.
Two days after the Bears’ Halloween game against the San Francisco 49ers. It will be an interesting date to watch. If they lose that game and fall to 3-5? There would be plenty of justification for Pace to sell off anything that isn’t nailed down. Not doing so would either be gross negligence or a surefire sign that the current regime no longer has full control of the purse strings.