People always focus on the big moves a team makes every offseason. That is only natural. However, so many times it’s been proven that the little moves can be vital to sustaining success during a long and physical season. Injuries are going to happen. How good of a job did the GM do at finding depth at every position? In this regard, Ryan Pace deserves credit for what he’s accomplished with the Chicago Bears this past offseason.
Four games into the schedule, the team is 2-2. Attrition has already set in across key parts of their roster. Danny Trevathan, their longtime starting linebacker, began the regular season on injured reserve with a knee issue. Then in the win over Detroit on Sunday, the Bears lost offensive engine David Montgomery to a knee injury as well. This would look far worse under normal circumstances if not for Pace’s savvy insurance policies he scooped months ago.
Damien Williams and Alec Ogletree.
Williams was a Super Bowl hero in February of 2020. The vital cog that landed the Kansas City Chiefs their first championship in 50 years. Then the team drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the 1st round and COVID-19 hit at the same time. The running back elected to opt out for the 2020 season. A year later he was ready to return to work. Sensing an opportunity, the Bears signed him. Against Detroit, his value became apparent right away as he had five carries for 37 yards and a catch for seven after Montgomery went down.
Ogletree? He was a street free agent who’d been released by the New York Jets. Teams weren’t calling. Then a chance invitation to Halas Hall by old friend Robert Quinn to watch his sister in the Olympics handed Pace an opportunity. Before he left for home, the team called his agent and offered a deal. Ogletree lit up training camp and when Trevathan went down, became their starter opposite Roquan Smith. Sunday against Detroit was his best performance to date including 12 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a huge pass deflection to prevent a Lions touchdown.
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These two players cost the Bears $2.575 million combined to acquire.
Ryan Pace deserves credit where it’s due
The GM has come under a lot of scrutiny over the past few months. Most notably for his handling of the offensive line and secondary. Not to mention the decision to not only keep Jimmy Graham but restructure his contract. The guy isn’t perfect but nobody can deny there are positives about his work as well. His constant ability to find value on the free agent market is one of the biggest. Williams and Ogletree are the latest examples.
Mario Edwards Jr. and Cairo Santos last season were others. The list is rather extensive. It shouldn’t be a huge surprise. Ryan Pace was widely regarded as one of the best pro personnel directors in the NFL when he was working for the New Orleans Saints. It was one of the key reasons the Bears hired him. No doubt he has lived up to that reputation for the most part.
It’s things like this that give people pause about firing him.
There is no question he has made his share of mistakes. Some of which played a direct part in this team not accomplishing more in the postseason. Yet without him would the Bears even be relevant at all? That is a difficult question to answer. Hence why some continue to speculate that even if head coach Matt Nagy is fired after this season, ownership may decide to keep Pace anyway.