I’ve written a couple of pieces regarding Ryan Pace and this off-season (pre-draft and post-Round 1), but this will be the final of the trilogy, as the off-season has concluded and training camp is around the corner.
The Bears GM has had his fingerprints all over the team’s current state, walking into a franchise primed for a rebuild when he was originally hired in 2015. Somehow, the feel around the city is much different than his first three years sitting in the big GM chair.
It was clear at the end of last year, after Pace was given a four-year extension, that ownership believed in Ryan’s ability to build a winner. Now, after having control of choosing the quarterback, the coach, and the building pieces around them, it’s even more evident that Pace has the keys to the organization’s future, and they should have been handed to him a long time ago. Take a look at a year’s span of how the Bears got here, and why the enthusiasm from fans is justified.
April 2017
Pace’s first task was to find a long-term solution at quarterback, as Jay Cutler wasn’t getting any younger and his absurdly-overpaying contract (thanks, Phil Emery) was finally coming to an end. The signing of Mike Glennon, especially with the amount on the price tag, was a head-scratching move. Fans knew it wasn’t the long-term solution at the position, as Glennon’s deal was essentially one-year (in terms of guaranteed money), and because of that, it was becoming increasingly clear that a young passer was in the draft plans. With the second-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected Mitchell Trubisky, QB from UNC.
Regular Season 2017
Trubisky’s rookie year made it obvious there was a lack of talent on the offensive side in Chicago. Though injuries played a large factor, they lacked the depth needed to have a chance at surviving any casualties. Ryan Pace took a lot of criticism for not investing more into the offense, essentially relying on Cameron Meredith and Kevin White to be the offense’s top targets on the outside. What a lot of fans don’t realize is Pace may have been preparing for the year after, as players were due to be UFA’s, and he’d have to use the cap space to not only bring in top-tier talent but fill out the roster with depth players.
Roster issues weren’t the only headache-inducing factor for fans on Sundays. The outdated offensive game-plans then-head coach John Fox implemented were nauseating. The phrase “they came off the bus running” really came to life under coach Fox, as it seemed every game started with a 2-yard loss on a predictable first-down run play. “Run, run, pass (on 3rd and 16)” also became a popular catch-phrase in Chicago, making it nearly impossible for Trubisky to keep drives alive and show what he’s capable of. Needless to say, a coaching change was imminent after the final game of the season. The most important off-season at Halas Hall in a long time officially commenced.
January 2018
The journey to search for a new head coach was a short one, as Ryan Pace took the opportunity to snag Matt Nagy off the market as soon as he became available (after the Chiefs playoff loss). After the previously-mentioned struggle the Bears had offensively throughout the years, it was obvious fans wanted to see a bright, young offensive mind on the sidelines (either at head coach or at coordinator). Nagy, as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator, got the best out of an aging Alex Smith, whose physical traits and athleticism fall short of the potential of Trubisky that he showcased during his rookie stint.
Nagy’s offense will allow Trubisky to make decisions at the line of scrimmage with an RPO integration that will force a defense to respect both the pass and run game. Couple this great hire with the likes of spread-offense-extraordinaire and OC Mark Helfrich, OL coach Harry Hiestand, and keeping DC Vic Fangio, Pace hit it out of the park with his staff hires.
Quarterback, check. Head coach/staff, check. Now, get them some players to work with.
March 2018
Probably the most-packed month of them all.
The Bears had a ton of expiring contracts heading into free agency, thus leaving them with a Brinks truck full of cash to spend on talent to surround Trubisky and reinforce an already good defense. What left fans in suspense, even with all that cash, was whether or not Pace was going to take his usual “bargain buy” approach and gather B-level talent, or would he be willing to spend high on a sure-fire play-maker that the offense desperately needs?
However, first thing’s first. Ryan Pace had to re-sign his own free agents before going out and spending on newcomers.
Bears re-signed some key pieces whose names aren’t household, like Sherrick McManis, Prince Amukamara, Bryce Callahan, Bradley Sowell, and Josh Bellamy. Every Bears fan had their eyes and ears set on two names; Cameron Meredith and Kyle Fuller.
Ryan Pace decided not to pickup Kyle Fuller’s fifth-year option after having two disappointing, injury-riddled season. Fuller bounced back in 2017-18, posting 24 pass deflections which was tied for third behind Pro Bowlers Darius Slay and Casey Hayward. Therefore, instead of overpaying for Kyle Fuller after inconsistent seasons in terms of health and production, Pace decided to use the transition tag on Kyle, essentially guaranteeing him $12.97 for 2018 and the Bears right to match any offer given to him. The strategy was unforeseen and another risk Pace would be taking, but it proved fruitful.
Fuller signed an offer sheet from none other than the Green Bay Packers, giving him a four-year deal worth $56M and $18M guaranteed. It was assumed that Pace would match any offer made to Fuller as long as it wasn’t absurd, and you better believe he wasn’t about to let a division rival steal a key piece to his defense. So, only three hours after the Packers offer, Chicago matched and locked-in their number one corner for the next four years to a fair deal. One of Pace’s biggest tasks this off-season was checked off.
Cam Meredith, on the other end, didn’t go quite as expected. Two years removed from being the Bears leading receiver, Meredith was poised for a breakout season last year, as Pace was banking on him to be their number-one target. After suffering a multiple-ligament knee injury in the preseason, all hope of seeing what the 25-year old could do in the spotlight was halted, ultimately making Pace’s decision to re-sign him even more difficult.
Meredith received interest from multiple teams but ended up signing a two-year offer sheet with the New Orleans Saints worth $9.6M plus incentives, and $5.4M guaranteed. Provided that the Bears had amicable cap space to match, and the need was still glaring even after signing Robinson and Gabriel in free agency, the belief around Chicago was that Pace would match the offer. After further evaluation of Cam’s recovery, the Bears deemed it to not be worth matching the Saints offer, letting him walk (or limp?) to New Orleans. While the news was shocking, there were rumors surfacing after the report that Meredith may not be ready by training camp, which smells strongly of “PUP list.” If that’s the case, Pace’s decision to not match may have been for the better.
Then, it was time to shift focus to the ever-so anticipated negotiating period of free agency.
Pace, again wasting no time, acquired one of the most sought-after WR’s on the market in Allen Robinson, giving Trubisky a number-one pass-catcher on the outside who will win 50/50 balls. Robinson, who’s returning from a season-ending knee injury, was an obvious risk for a GM who usually tries to find the “steals” in free agency but also an obvious choice if he was going to spend big on an offensive weapon. Robinson’s ability to run routes and create separation even with a large 6’3″ frame will make him a perfect fit for Nagy’s offense.
Pace additionally signed swing-TE Trey Burton, speedy WR Taylor Gabiel, and veteran slot WR Bennie Fowler. Offense was an assumed focus heading into this off-season, and Pace rendered the assumptions true.
Other notable signings: DE/OLB Aaron Lynch, K Cody Parkey, QB Chase Daniel.
April 2018
While free agency was another home-run for Ryan Pace and Co., there were still noticeable holes in the roster that needed to be filled heading into the draft. OLB, interior OL, WR, and RT were all positions that either needed more depth or a solid starter. With the eighth overall pick in the first round, the Bears selected who most would deem the best linebacker in the draft, and some would even go as far as saying the best defensive player in this year’s class: Roquan Smith.
Though ILB wasn’t an immediate need in Chicago, Smith certainly is an upgrade over third-year linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski and immediately makes the defense better. Also, Danny Trevathan hasn’t necessarily proved that he can stay healthy consistently, so Smith could be the sure thing the Bears have been looking for in the position since Brian Urlacher stormed the castle. Not to mention, the kid is talented, and has a chance to be the best defender on a great Bears’ defense, even as a rookie. It was the safe pick for the Bears but also the right one.
Day two of the draft was an intriguing one for Chicago, as they only had one second-round pick and no third. If history showed anything, fans knew that Ryan Pace is never shy when it comes to trading up in the draft.
With the 39th overall pick in the second round, the Bears selected OL James Daniels who was arguably the best center in the draft and had a first-round draft grade by most experts. The Bears had a desperate need at guard, as they released veteran Josh Sitton to continue their youth-roster-haul. Drafting Daniels allows the Bears to either keep him at center and kick Cody Whitehair to guard, or keep Whitehair at center and kick Daniels to guard. Either way, Pace found himself a day-one starter at a position of need.
As previously mentioned, Pace’s tendency to trade up in drafts is high, and without a third-round pick to wait for, it was almost certain he would either trade into the third round or even back into the second. Sure enough, the Bears were back on the clock, trading up into the second round at pick 51, where they selected WR Anthony Miller. The former Memphis wideout was scouted as an explosive route-runner who will excel as a slot receiver.
Nagy’s offense will contain quick timing throws, which will require receivers to not only get to their spot but create separation. Miller is the perfect weapon for this offense to compliment the additions of Robinson and Gabriel. After having barely-viable options for Trubisky to throw to just a year ago, Pace has created an abundance of options for Mitch, even those coming off the bench.
Ryan Pace finalized his 2018 draft class with the selections of LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe (4th rd), DL Bilal Nichols (5th rd), LB Kylie Fitts (6th rd), and WR Javon Wims (7th rd). My “sleeper” in these day-three selections is fifth-rounder Bilal Nichols. Pace has proved he can find great value in the later rounds, and Nichols is just that. Drawing comparisons to Chicago’s own Akiem Hicks in terms of his physical build, Nichols can be a key rotational player in Vic Fangio’s front seven. I anticipate Jonathan Bullard to be the day one starter at DE, but expect to see Nichols in the rotation on Sundays.
It’s been a week since this draft has concluded, and I’m still smiling about it. I believe Ryan Pace struck gold in all three of his first selections, essentially getting three day-one contributors, all while adding depth value in the later rounds. Getting need and value at the same time is one of the hardest things to do as a GM on draft day, and Pace may have done just that.
All in all…
Back in February, I wrote a piece regarding Ryan Pace and how this off-season was the most important of his tenure. Feel free to glance at the article to contrast it with this piece, and see what Pace was able to accomplish in the year.
Ryan Pace's 4-year roster overhaul, in one image pic.twitter.com/MGpMn02eMm
— Johnathan Wood (@Johnathan_Wood1) May 2, 2018
This image perfectly sums up what Ryan Pace has been able to do in a four-year span. Without already having a franchise quarterback in place, it’s a tough task to rebuild an aging team. It takes years of good/great drafts to build a perennial contender the right way in the NFL, something the Chicago franchise completely abandoned while bringing in GM after GM.
I’m not tooting the “Super Bears, Super Bowl” horn quite yet, and I’m not expecting the Bears to even contend immediately next year. However, Chicago fans deserve to root for a franchise that has caught up with the times and can provide hope, even if it’s just a glimpse. Bears fans, that time may have arrived.
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