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Chicago Bears Franchise Tag May Actually Be Used in 2018

By
Erik Lambert
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kyle fuller

Following the extensions of left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and defensive end Akiem Hicks, it was felt the Chicago Bears franchise tag would likely go unused this 2018 off-season. GM Ryan Pace would be free to work his magic with a large but mostly medium important crop of in-house free agents-to-be when the season ends this January.

Of course there will be some important name prioritize. Prince Amukamara has proven himself to be a valuable asset at corner during his one-year deal. Wide receiver Cameron Meredith was shown to be far more vital to their passing offense by not playing than actually playing this year. Fellow receiver Kendall Wright will also need some attention. There’s also linebacker Christian Jones who may have earned himself a starting job.

However, none of those names have performed up to a standard that might require use of the tag, which automatically pays top five money based on their position. Over the past few weeks though, an unlikely candidate has emerged for just that. One that zero Bears fans would’ve ever considered when the season began.

Kyle Fuller has more than earned the Chicago Bears franchise tag

He may not end up going to the Pro Bowl, but former first round pick Kyle Fuller has been brilliant this season for the Bears defense. Considering he missed all of 2016 with a knee injury, it makes is resurgence all the more impressive. On Sunday against the Cleveland Browns he may have delivered the best overall game of his career too.

Through 15 games Fuller has 67 tackles, 22 passes defended and two interceptions. The amazing thing is he should probably have four more interceptions but hasn’t quite been able to haul them in. Regardless it’s easily the best season a Bears corner has had since the era of Charles Tillman was peaking in the previous decade.

Now the question becomes can Pace reach an agreement with him on a contract extension? No doubt people are afraid the Bears are facing another Alshon Jeffery situation. That the team will try to extend Fuller but he’ll resist in order to become a free agent, thus robbing them of another quality piece who can help their cause.

Tag will be in play if an extension becomes unlikely

Word is Fuller will be demanding a considerable raise, likely somewhere in the $10-12 million range. The Bears will have plenty of salary cap space to meet it. Problem is Pace is known for being a hard negotiator. He won’t overpay anybody. So it comes down to whether Fuller is wants to stay and is willing to deal.

Otherwise the franchise tag may have to be used. Current projections are that it would cost the Bears just over $15 million dollars for the 2018 season if they were do that for Fuller. While it’s hardly a crippling strategy given they could create upwards of $80 million in cap space, it nonetheless offers plenty of incentive for them to work out a more favorable long-term deal.

Huge Question About Bears GM Ryan Pace is Finally Answered

By
Erik Lambert
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ryan pace

Up until this week there was a fog uncertainty around Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace. The general belief was simple. Odds favored him being retained beyond 2017 despite the struggles of the team through his first three years. Most of the problems have centered around head coach John Fox and his inability to elevate their play on a consistent enough basis.

At the same time there was a danger. A loss to the Cleveland Browns on Christmas Eve might just sway ownership to blow the whole thing up. Thankfully Pace’s young roster saved him, cruising to an easy 20-3 victory led by prized quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Though it does nothing in the grand scheme for this season, it was a valuable win to reinforce the work Pace is doing.

More than that, confirmation on a vital subject matter finally came to the forefront. One that could go a long way towards determining how the 2018 season shapes up for the Bears and perhaps beyond.

Bears GM Ryan Pace will have final say on next head coach

One of the great fears for many fans is that the McCaskey ownership and team president Ted Phillips might try to hijack the hiring process this January. Similar to how the situation with Fox came about in the first place. They put forth their strong recommendation for a candidate and Pace is forced to go along with it.

For a heart-stopping moment it seemed like that was the case. Ian Rapoport relayed the information before the Browns game that Phillips was making calls inquiring about coaches who were available. Thankfully Dan Bernstein of CBS Sports has it on good authority that the final say on this matter belongs to Pace.

This is an important development. One of the worst things the Bears could’ve done is muck up the hiring process with too many cooks in the kitchen. If they indeed believe that Pace is to remain the man running the show, then they have to let him run it. This next coach must be the one that fulfill his vision for where he wants this Bears team to go.

With Trubisky in place that vision is so close to becoming a reality. If Pace can get the right head coach in place to bring it all together, this team is finally ready to make a run at the NFC after nearly a decade. Who will he choose? Stay tuned for January to find out.

11 Thoughts On John Fox’s Final Bears Game At Soldier Field

By
Dhruv Koul
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(Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Bears coach John Fox runs off the field after the first half.

The NFL’s Christmas Eve “Game of the Week” featured the 4-10 Chicago Bears hosting the 0-14 Cleveland Browns at snowy Soldier Field in Chicago.

The two teams met in the final preseason game in August, where the Browns blanked the Bears 25-0. But of course, nothing went right for Cleveland afterwards, losing their first 14 regular season games while being quarterbacked by the disappointing yet talented rookie, DeShone Kizer.

The Bears, meanwhile, snatched Mitch Trubisky on draft night despite heavy interest from his hometown Browns (and many other teams). Trubisky has shown a lot of rawness, as expected, but also the sort of promise that so far validates Ryan Pace’s bold move to go get him.

On Sunday, with both teams having nothing to play for except pride, Trubisky’s first regular season matchup against his childhood team was the biggest, and only real, storyline of the afternoon.

I predicted that the Bears would lose today, given their 0-7 record coming in under John Fox in favored games. It just made sense.

Alas, Trubisky’s first regular season showdown against his Browns, and Fox’s likely last ever game coached at Soldier Field, went very well for Chicago, as the Bears destroyed the Browns. My thoughts and observations from this game are below.

Hope all of you have a wonderful rest of your Christmas weekend!

0) Pregame Thought: I love snow football. No matter the matchup, I was excited about this game when I heard what the forecast was going to be.

1) In the first half, the Bears had no concept of blitz recognition or pickup on third downs. Gregg Williams, the Browns’ defensive coordinator, dialed up blitz after blitz and got to Trubisky three times. On the last one of the first half, Trubisky got drilled by three defenders pretty forcefully. Part of the blame falls on Trubisky, and he needs to be better at getting the protection ready going forward. For his own health’s sake.

2) In the second half, Loggains did a great job adjusting and calling screens to take advantage of a still-aggressive Browns defense. The first two, Benny Cunningham picked up 40 and 23 yards to keep drives alive. Revolutionary, I know. But I do think the use of Cunningham certainly fooled the Browns more than if the Bears had used Cohen, certainly.

3) Kyle Fuller made a great play on Kizer’s end zone INT throw, and broke up several other passes throughout the game. It’s interesting that teams continue to throw it his way, and for the most part, he holds his own. Today? He shut down Josh Gordon. He’s had a great season, and is surely looking at a big pay day this offseason. I don’t think Fuller deserves a contract as big as A.J. Bouye or Stephon Gilmore got last year, but I do think the Bears would do well by bringing him back at the right price.

4) Tarik Cohen is fantastic. His 28 yard punt return in the first half down the right sideline displayed 0-to-60 explosiveness we’ve seen time and again this year from him. He also made a terrific catch in traffic on a third-and-long from Trubisky to set up a fourth-down conversion attempt. I look forward to seeing how he contributes in a real offensive game plan next year, along with his improvement in the return game. Fans, no matter how pessimistic about the Bears’ direction, should be excited about him.

5) The Bears caught a break on the first play of the second half. Myles Garrett picked off Trubisky’s dump off and ran it back for a pick-six. But Carl Nassib was called for offsides, negating the momentum shifter. A few plays later, the Bears were back in the end zone. Good for the Bears to take advantage of a crucial mistake, but what a play by Garrett regardless. He’s a special talent.

6) Great job by Trubisky to finish off his QB draw for a touchdown that put the Bears up 20-3, by why call it? Why subject the franchise quarterback to unnecessary hits like that? I know the coaching staff is trying to win games at all costs, but that was a dumb play, even if it was successful. Trubisky took too many hits today.

7) A solid tackling display today by the Bears. A special shout out to Nick Kwiatkoski. He more than made up for last week’s poor game against the Lions.

8) In general, I was impressed by the energy the Bears displayed throughout the game. They were flying around the field and playing hard. Say what you want about John Fox and his coaching ability, but Akiem Hicks said that the Bears wouldn’t be the Browns’ first win of the season, and the players backed up that statement by playing like they cared.

9) Speaking of the Browns, they are … awful. I feel bad for Cleveland fans. As bad as the Bears have had it for many years, the Browns have had it much worse. They’re also a prime example of draft positioning not really mattering as much as scouting and proper player evaluation. And honestly, I don’t understand why Hue Jackson is safe next year.

10) Trubisky had another game with some ups and downs, but he showed continued growth today. And forget the stat sheet.

For example, in the fourth quarter with a big lead, a screen pass broke down and instead of forcing anything, Trubisky went through his progressions and decided to eat the football by sliding for a loss. Then again, on third down and backed up inside his own 10-yard line, he threw an accurate pass to Dontrelle Inman against a blitz that was dropped. But still, those were great plays, despite doing nothing on the stat sheet.

He knew when to tuck and run the ball, and made some accurate throws to keep drives alive. Another game to build off, along with the positive experience of a home win, going into next season.

11) In John Fox’s likely final game at Soldier Field, the Bears got him a win. That’s what I wanted for Christmas. But that’s all for Fox in Chicago. The next time the Bears take the field in Chicago, they’ll have a new coaching staff, and much more hope.

NFL Is Moving to Fulfill Every Chicago Bears Fans’ Dream

By
Erik Lambert
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aaron rodgers

The Chicago Bears know that their chances of winning the NFC North anytime soon rest on one of two things. Either they build a defense strong enough to stop Aaron Rodgers, or that Rodgers somehow magically exits the division in the near future. Amazing as it may sound that second idea just gained way more possibility than anybody could’ve predicted.

By now most people know the story. Rodgers broken his right collarbone in a game against Minnesota a couple months ago. Many felt he wouldn’t be able to return for the rest of the season. Of course they also said the same thing in 2013 when he did it to the left side. That basically meant he’d likely return if the Packers managed to stay in the playoff hunt.

Well thanks to a couple improbable victories under Brett Hundley, they did exactly that. Rodgers returned for a huge game against the Carolina Panthers. Unfortunately it didn’t go well. He threw three costly interceptions and the Panthers prevailed 31-24. Following an Atlanta win the next night the Packers were officially knocked out of the playoff race.

It was then they may have committed a rare NFL rules blunder that could, in theory, cost them their quarterback.

Chicago Bears might be rid of Rodgers due to a technicality

According to Adam Schefter the Packers might’ve made a mistake by putting Rodgers back on Injured Reserve after the Carolina loss. This despite no indications he’d aggravated his previous injury or suffered another. This would mean they violated an NFL rule that could result in an unprecedented move.

“Had the Atlanta Falcons lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, keeping alive Green Bay’s playoff chances, it’s possible Rodgers could have played Saturday night against the Minnesota Vikings. But the Packers opted to shut him down, which teams complained was a violation of NFL rules.

It is not believed that Rodgers suffered any type of new injury against the Panthers. If Rodgers didn’t suffer a new injury but was placed back on injured reserve anyway, NFL rules stipulate that the Packers would have to release him — which nobody expects will happen. It is why multiple teams raised the issue. Teams wanted to know why the Packers were being granted immunity.”

Now it’s important to understand the Packers hold a lot of sway in the league. It’s highly unlikely Roger Goodell and NFL brass would pursue this matter with enough rigor to actually make Green Bay cut Rodgers. At the same time, the mere fact the possibility exists is equal parts hilarious and hopeful that Chicago could have a very Happy New Year.

A New Chicago Bears Head Coach Target Just Emerged

By
Erik Lambert
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ron rivera

The Chicago Bears head coach situation remains the hottest topic among fans of the team. By this point the first half of the big question is all but answered. John Fox is going to be fired. There is just no scenario within reason that somebody can think of that would compel ownership to keep him on past the end of this season. His team still plays far too inconsistently from week to week. That and of course the 13-33 record doesn’t help.

As a result word has surfaced according to Ian Rapoport that team president Ted Phillips is doing research on which coaches might be available when the season officially ends for Chicago on January 1st. This question is a bit tricky to answer because several of the top candidates expected to be available will be busy preparing for the playoffs.

Several popular names have floated around the team for weeks. Frank Reich and John DeFilippo from Philadelphia spring to mind. Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia from New England. Matt Lafleur from Los Angeles and Matt Nagy from Kansas City as well. There is also David Shaw who continues his great run at Stanford. However, Rapoport wasn’t done.

It turns out the Bears may have another, more ambitious name in mind.

Hopes could be that Ron Rivera is next Chicago Bears head coach

Rapoport explained in a recent article that the Carolina Panthers are going through some upheaval. This is brought about by the imminent prospect of owner Jerry Richardson selling the team. In turn that could create a difficult situation for current head coach Ron Rivera who is about to enter the last year of his current contract.

“One of the Panthers’ most important tasks going forward is to extend Rivera’s contract, and sources say that’s exactly what they want to do. The team’s brass agrees that stability is needed on the football side. Put that together with the job the former coach of the year is doing and it’s an easy decision.

Talks are in their infancy, but they are expected to heat up soon.

Accordingly, the hope from many in the building is that Hurney stays on as GM, though an NFL official said the Panthers will have to go through the process and comply with the Rooney Rule before elevating him for good. Hurney will stay on — at least — through June. He has worked well with Rivera.

Rivera’s last deal was a three-year, $19.5-million contract through 2018. If he was free or became available, he’d be coveted, including potentially by the Bears.”

Interest in Rivera comes from many directions

It’s not a shock at all that the Bears would be interested in Rivera. For starters he has Chicago blood running through his veins. He was a linebacker for the team in the 1980s, playing as a reserve on the fabled 1985 team. Then he returned in the mid-2000s to run their defense, during which they reached the Super Bowl again in 2006. The man was a part of the two biggest successes the organization has had in the past four decades.

Then there’s the fact he’s already a successful head coach. He’s led the Carolina Panthers to the playoffs three times including the Super Bowl in 2015. They are 10-4 this season and poised to make it for a fourth time in five seasons. If that weren’t enough Rivera has proven his ability to develop a top quarterback draft pick. Cam Newton was selected under his watch in 2011 and has since become a star.

The idea of bringing him home to Chicago to take over Mitch Trubisky and that young defense has to sound appealing for the Bears brass. Much of how this plays out will depend on what happens in the next month.

Several Former 2006 Bears Coaches Are Ready to Replace John Fox

By
Erik Lambert
-
2006 bears

Everybody likes to talk about the 1985 Chicago Bears, even today. That’s understandable. It was and still is one of the greatest teams ever assembled. At least from a pure roster standpoint. There were Hall of Famers everywhere. On the other hand, one could make a strong argument that the 2006 Bears team, while not as strong in personnel, may have had the better coaching staff.

Of course things started with Lovie Smith. He transformed the team into a legitimate contender that reached two NFC championship games and of course the Super Bowl that fateful 2006 season. Next was defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. He has taken over command control of the Carolina Panthers and led them to the Super Bowl in 2015.

Most people think about those two names when that Bears team comes up in conversations. Few knew it at the time, but it turns out that coaching staff was significantly more loaded with talent than first imagined. In fact a number of the names on it are now poised to become head coaches in 2018.

2006 Bears staff could feature four eventual head coaches

As stated earlier Rivera was the first assistant on that staff to get his own team. Looking at the field of coaches available this coming off-season, there could be three more on the way. Perhaps one of them could look to bring back some of that ’06 mojo to a Bears team yearning to become a winner again.

Dave Toub

  • Then:  Special teams coordinator
  • Now:  Special teams coordinator for Chiefs

The mastermind of the Devin Hester era has continued to do his thing ever since he left the Bears in 2013. Toub is at the top of the heap among special teams coaches and has arguably waited longer for his head coaching shot than he should’ve. Odds are if he’d coached offense or defense he would’ve been scooped five years ago.

Harold Goodwin

  • Then:  Assistant offensive line coach
  • Now:  Offensive coordinator for Cardinals

One of those coaches that success just seems to follow. After reaching the Super Bowl with Chicago, he headed off to Pittsburgh where he won a ring in 2008. His star continued to rise until Bruce Arians made him the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals. With his help Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald were able to squeeze some excellent seasons out of what many thought were fading careers.

Steve Wilks

  • Then:  Defensive backs coach
  • Now:  Defensive coordinator for Panthers

The most recent addition to the list. Wilks has been a favorite of Rivera for years. Assistant head coach for the Carolina Panthers since 2015, he became defensive coordinator this season. As a result the defense went from 21st a season ago to fifth as of now. It’s a remarkable turnaround in such a short span, earning Wilks some much-deserved attention.

Any one of these men have shown they’re qualified to lead. They also proved they understood how to build a winner in Chicago. If the Bears are intent on bringing back a familiar face to recapture that old magic, then they have a larger than expected selection to choose from.

Hope Remains For Achieving Bears Biggest 2018 Priority

By
Erik Lambert
-
vic fangio
Credit: Chicago Tribune

Hiring a head coach? Getting Mitch Trubisky some wide receivers? Both of those could qualify as the Chicago Bears biggest 2018 priority. The reasons are obvious. John Fox hasn’t won enough football games. Trubisky can’t throw with any consistency. However, there are more than a few people who would agree the top duty of this team is finding a way to retain defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

Understand that with two games left in the season, the Bears defense ranks 12th in points allowed and 8th in total yards allowed. This despite having six original starters from opening day on Injured Reserve with various injuries. That is a testament of the impact Fangio has. His scheming, game planning and ability to elevate his player is not common.

In essence the Bears have encountered another Buddy Ryan situation. While changing head coaches is inevitable at this point, is it possible for them to retain a high quality assistant? Opinions vary on that subject. Some think he’s all but gone. Others hold out hope that there may be a way.

Hopes of retaining Vic Fangio may have gotten a vital boost

While only Fangio himself knows whether he’d like to stay or not, the Bears at least got a bit good fortune towards that end. The prevailing belief for months was Fangio had a desire to return to the west coast and rejoin the San Francisco 49ers. In fact they explored the idea of bringing him back briefly this past off-season, but were rebuffed by the Bears brass. Now according to NBC Sports, it appears that window has closed.

But with two games remaining in his first season as 49ers’ defensive coordinator, Saleh has proven himself and will unquestionably be back in the same role next season, Shanahan said.

“Yeah, there’s no doubt about that,” Shanahan said on “49ers Game Plan,” which is scheduled to air Saturday at 3 p.m. on NBC Bay Area (Ch. 3).

“Robert has been great. I think he’s gotten better throughout the year, and I think he’ll be even better next year. Robert has a great future ahead of him. And I feel very fortunate that he’s the coordinator for the Niners.”

With the 49ers off the table, it removes a prominent location Fangio knows that he’d wish to return to. This in turn opens the door for the Bears to try enticing him again to stay on moving forward. The key will be offering him a palatable package. That would entail more money, of course and also the prospect of working under a head coach he respects.

If the Bears could lure in a top offensive mind, somebody who could get more out of Mitch Trubisky, then Fangio might be intrigued by continuing his work on that defense. It comes down to time and negotiation.

A Cubs Fan’s Christmas Letter To Santa (Theo)

By
Dhruv Koul
-
chris ballard

Dear Theo (and Jed Hoyer),

With football consuming my Christmas Eve, I wanted to get this letter to you beforehand. I wanted to start by thanking you for being a better Santa than Santa. In the last three years, you’ve provided more joy than any wrapped cardboard box ever could (except maybe my PlayStation 4 … that’s pretty sweet).

Three years ago, our Cubs shocked baseball by happy-go-luckying their way to the National League Championship Series — beating our rival Pirates and Cardinals on the way. That experience paved the way for something better the following year.

In 2016, we won the World Series. Enough said. Even now, when I go back and watch highlights of Game 7, I get nervous. Even now, I go numb when they show Rajai Davis’s fist pump in the 8th inning. Even now, a wave or relief washes over me when I see Kris Bryant’s scary throw safely reach Anthony Rizzo’s glove, setting off a wild celebration.

And then last year, we made it back to the NLCS after surviving an epic NLDS series against Washington. I know we purposely made it tough on ourselves so Bryce Harper’s eventual heartbreak would hurt even more. We just laid some more ground work there to convince Harper to bolt the Nationals and join the Good Guys in the 2018 offseason (sorry, Hawk Harrelson).

You promised us sustained success and repeated opportunities to compete in the crapshoot that is the MLB postseason. You delivered. Three straight runs to the LCS, one that bore a World Series trophy, proves that. And now, we move forward to prepping for next year.

You’ve already done very well. Signing Tyler Chatwood helped fortify the back end of our rotation. And signing Brandon Morrow, the Bullpen Ironman of last postseason, adds more back-end bullpen firepower. But there’s still work to do.

Here’s my wishlist:

Starting Pitcher: We need another starting pitcher, that much has been acknowledged. I recently debated with my SM colleagues whether signing Yu Darvish or re-signing Jake Arrieta would be better. I, for sentimental reasons, thought Arrieta was the right choice. Everyone disagreed with me, so I went back and researched more and watched some more Darvish with an open mind. Yeah, I was wrong. Darvish would be great and would make more sense.

I know you’re kicking the tires on Alex Cobb too, and I would definitely be OK with that. But if you can get Darvish, our rotation is hard to beat. Jon Lester, Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana, and Tyler Chatwood? A playoff rotation of the first four? Damn!

Bullpen: Wade Davis and Hector Rondon are no longer on the team, for now. And while signing Morrow helps the bullpen (and he has closing experience), we could certainly use another arm back there to solidify things further. For the right price, a Davis return makes a lot of sense. Low-key, how about Greg Holland? He had a terrific season at Coors Field last year. If he can stay healthy, he’d be a great addition.

What’s more, with Justin Wilson still needing to prove that he can throw the ball in the same zip code as the plate, we could use another lefty setup guy too. How about someone like Tony Watson as the lefty setup guy?

Re-sign Jon Jay: With all due respect to Tommy LaStella, I don’t think anyone provided the type of veteran at-bat time and time again that Jon Jay did, and he played a solid outfield. He may be looking for a starting job somewhere, but bringing him back makes a ton of sense if you can.

Keep Javy Baez No Matter What: This is more of a sentimental ask, but Baez is one of the most electric and exciting players in the game. I don’t think this one needs much explaining, but he is a joy to watch. Sure, most of our team and lineup is just as fun to watch, but there’s something extra special about Javy. Unless ABSOLUTELY necessary, please keep him!

There are other needs and wants, but I think I highlighted what’s on my wishlist pretty well. Of course, you probably already knew these things being the better-than-Santa Santa that you are. But still, I thought I’d reach out.

Merry Christmas, Theo (and Jed Hoyer). And I, along with the rest of Cubs Nation, look forward to seeing how you close out the offseason. Go Cubs!

Cheers,
Dhruv

NFL Insider Pinpoints One Coach the Chicago Bears Can’t Ignore

By
Erik Lambert
-
chicago bears
Credit: USA Today

By now most Chicago Bears fans are familiar with the likely hot names that are going to get the attention come January when teams start their search for new head coaches. They figure to be one of those teams with John Fox on his way out. It’s a matter if figuring out which of them might end up being the target for GM Ryan Pace. This of course presuming he remains in charge as expected.

It starts of course with Josh McDaniels. The longtime New England Patriots offensive coordinator is once again headlining a top five offense. He’s still just 41-years old and respected as one of the top play callers in football. On the flip side Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is a newcomer to the conversation. Having just gotten control of calling plays a few weeks ago, the Chiefs offense has exploded.

Perhaps the most impressive performance this year is by Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. Despite losing their top running back and top two quarterbacks, he’s managed to put together the eighth ranked offense in the NFL. He’s followed by Frank Reich, coordinator of the highly successful Philadelphia Eagles offense. Any one of those men sound like good choices.

However, there may be another the Bears are overlooking.

Insider warns Chicago Bears not to look past Steve Wilks

Sometimes the NFL is all about connections. Some people might not remember the name Steve Wilks in Chicago and that’s a shame. He was the Bears defensive backs coach during their 2006 Super Bowl season. A true disciple for Ron Rivera who has enjoyed a streak of success going back over a decade. He is now defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and earning newfound respect. Peter Schrager of Good Morning Football now sees him as a top candidate.

Wilks is 48-years old. His impact on the Panthers defense has been impossible to ignore. Last year they ranked a distant 21st in the NFL. Since he took over this season they jumped all the way up to fifth. That’s a monumental improvement. He’s also gotten double digit sack seasons from a 37-year old Julius Peppers and career reserve Mario Addison.

He’s been the assistant head coach at Carolina for three years now. The man is smart, experienced and clearly a capable leader. If the Bears were looking for somebody to bring back some of that old mojo they had 10 years ago, this might be their guy.

Rumor: Ryan Pace May Be Eyeing More Front Office Help

By
Erik Lambert
-
ryan pace

Is Ryan Pace still going to be the GM of the Chicago Bears in 2018? It’s not entirely clear but the general belief is that will be the case. He’ll be allowed to seek out his second head coach. Hopefully someone who can properly develop this young roster into a contender, Mitch Trubisky in particular. That means this coming off-season could be huge.

What can so often be forgotten in these situations is the coaching staff might not be the only thing that changes. Pace may have designs on a front office move as well. Don’t forget the Bears suffered a significant loss when Joe Douglas left their staff for a promotion in Philadelphia. They haven’t really tried to bring in anymore outside help since then.

One thing about Pace is he’s always on the lookout for talent. Not just player talent either. There were no connections to Douglas when he hired him out of Baltimore. Douglas had a strong reputation and Pace wished to take advantage. The result was their excellent 2016 off-season. Now it appears the Bears GM may be sniffing around another notable name.

Ryan Pace keeping a close watch on Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht

A source reached out to me in the past week and said the Bears were monitoring the status regarding Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Jason Licht. The idea being that they would move quickly to bring him in as a front office addition were he to part ways with the organization.

“He was hired out of New England because of his experience with a winning organization and the feeling was he’d bring that culture to Tampa Bay. His drafts constantly hit and ownership was in love with him and were starting to feel he was their guy once Winston was selected. They had a really terrific year and almost made the playoffs (in 2016). Now this year they have regressed with the blame being put on (Dirk) Koetter. With all the heat Licht is being criticized for bringing Koetter in and there’s still hard feelings over letting Lovie go when they were starting to hit their stride.”

Licht has been running the Buccaneers front office since 2014. In that time he’s added some considerable talent to their roster with names like Mike Evans, Jameis Winston, Kwon Alexander, Vernon Hargreaves, and O.J. Howard. Unfortunately like many GMs his eye for coaching talent can be left in question.

Pace could strengthen personnel department with Licht aboard

At the same time this is a man who can be a valuable asset in a front office as a personnel executive. It would seem Pace might like to make that a reality.

“Rumblings were starting this year that he may not be safe. Pace has been interested in him and with NFC South experience it’s felt with Pace’s ideas and Licht’s eye for talent it would work and they’d be set up greatly for the future.”

Licht is a richly experienced personnel man. He got his first crack at a major director position in Philadelphia from 2006 to 2007. With his help they signed quarterback Jeff Garcia who’d go on to the Pro Bowl and also drafted tight end Brent Celek. In 2008 the Arizona Cardinals brought him aboard and he was instrumental in helping them draft cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and defensive end Calaise Campbell.

Some of his best work came in New England from 2009 to 2011 during which the Patriots added future studs like Julian Edelman, Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty, Rob Gronkowski, and Nate Solder. He returned to Arizona for two years in 2012 and 2013. It was during that time they added Tyrann Mathieu and Pro Bowl special teamer Justin Bethel.

If the Bears’ interest is as strong as this would indicate, it’s understandable. Licht would be a major benefit to their front office. Where exactly he’d fit will be the question if it comes to pass.

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