Love Or Hate Him, Why Ryan Pace Deserves Your Thanks
Ryan Pace will forever be remembered as a failure in Chicago. The former GM vowed to pull the Bears out of the darkest period in franchise history. He would make them contenders. It is painful to imagine how close he was. His entire vision seemed within reach after 2018. The team was loaded with talent and won the division. They seemed primed for a run. Then it all fell apart, spearheaded by his failed marriage between Matt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky. Those two decisions will forever haunt him.
It was obvious Pace sought redemption in 2021. He desperately wanted to erase the sting of that Trubisky pick four years prior. He tried trading for Russell Wilson, but that fell through. So his only remaining hope was the draft. Thanks to a series of unexpected breaks, he worked a deal to move up for Justin Fields. Then a day later, he struck again by nabbing offensive tackle Teven Jenkins.
People were ecstatic. It felt like the Bears had landed two blue-chip talents.
Sadly, Pace couldn’t do the same with Nagy. The head coach did a poor job with Fields throughout the 2021 season, leading to consistency and health issues. Jenkins suffering a back injury during that same time period made matters worse. Chicago finished 6-11, and Pace was fired in January. One has to wonder what he must be thinking right now as both Fields and Jenkins have suddenly morphed into two of the fastest-rising players at their respective positions.
Fields has amassed 1100 total yards, 11 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 99.7 passer rating in his last five games. The Bears’ offense has averaged 31 points per game in their previous three. Jenkins shifted from tackle to guard this off-season, a position he had no familiarity with. Now he’s the 5th-highest rated run blocker in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, and has only allowed nine total pressures in pass protection.
One thing is for sure, Teven Jenkins will finish blocks and generate knockdowns in the run game pic.twitter.com/FPV4p6DY8M
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) November 7, 2022
#76 TEVEN JENKINS HAS TO PLAY EVERY GODDAMN SNAP pic.twitter.com/ApxZfBuPEK
— Morale Supply Co.™ (@moralesupplyco) October 6, 2022
Ryan Pace drowned right as he learned how to swim.
He spent his entire GM tenure in Chicago trying to find that franchise quarterback for the Bears. He signed Mike Glennon, drafted Trubisky, traded for Nick Foles, and signed Andy Dalton. Those decisions either blew up spectacularly or fizzled out after showing early promise. Fields was his last chance to stop the avalanche from destroying the village. He came close. So painfully close. Fields was playing great football by last November. The Pittsburgh game was his coming-out party.
Then he got hurt.
Momentum was lost, and the team crumbled down the stretch. It is fair to wonder where Ryan Pace would be if Fields had managed to finish strong. Maybe the McCaskeys would’ve given him more time. That is the bittersweet reality of the NFL. You can make the right decisions, but they often come too late.
Pace was his own worst enemy at times. He made plenty of bad choices that came back to haunt him. His firing was earned. Still, if Fields and Jenkins continue to elevate as they have, it’s important to feel a measure of gratitude to the former GM. It is possible neither ends up in Chicago without his maneuvering.