Why Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace Must Be Patient In QB Search

Often the first compulsion of a new GM for a team is to establish his own identity and legacy with that organization.  Often the quickest way to do that is by making his first pick ever in an NFL draft a quarterback.  In this manner the two are tied at the hip and live or die together rather than doing so with somebody else’s roster.

For Ryan Pace, that compulsion will be hard to ignore in the 2015 draft this April.  Jay Cutler is not the most popular man in Chicago of late, with many calling for an end to his time with the Bears after another rough season.  They don’t care who the next quarterback is, as long as it isn’t him with his mind-numbing turnovers and “pouty” expressions during games.

It’s hard for a GM not to listen to those voices, especially if a young quarterback like a Marcus Mariota or a Jameis Winston become available when the Chicago Bears go on the clock.  However, in all likelihood that isn’t going to happen.  So instead of reaching for one of his own in what is shaping up as a weak draft class, Pace will have to do the toughest thing of all.

He’ll have to be patient.

Nobody likes waiting for the right guy.  It can be tedious and filled with rough patches along the way.  However, history has shown that if general managers play their cards right they can get lucky.

Here is a list of the GMs who got their team to the Super Bowl over the past five years and how long they were in charge before finding the quarterback to make that happen.

1)  Mickey Loomis: New Orleans Saints (2002-Present)

1. Drew Brees (Acquired in 2006 via free agency)

2)  John Schneider:  Seattle Seahawks (2010-Present)

1. Russell Wilson (Acquired in 2012 via draft)

3)  Ted Thompson:  Green Bay Packers (2005-Present)

1. Aaron Rodgers (Acquired in 2005 via draft)

4)  John Elway:  Denver Broncos (2011-Present)

1. Peyton Manning (Acquired in 2012 via free agency)

5)  Kevin Colbert:  Pittsburgh Steelers (2000-Present)

1. Ben Roethlisberger (Acquired in 2004 via draft)

6)  Ozzie Newsome:  Baltimore Ravens (2002-Present)

1. Joe Flacco (Acquired in 2008 via draft)

7)  Trent Baalke:  San Francisco 49ers (2011-Present)

1. Colin Kaepernick (Acquired in 2011 via draft)

8)  Jerry Reese:  New York Giants (2007-Present)

1. Eli Manning (Inherited from previous regime)

9)  Bill Belichick:  New England Patriots (2000-Present)

1. Tom Brady (Acquired via draft in 2000)

So it’s plainly evident here.  There are, of course cases where new GMs are able to get their quarterbacks right away, but often that is due to extenuating circumstances.  Aaron Rodgers basically fell into Ted Thompson’s lap in 2005, falling from the top 10 all the way to where the Packers picked at #24.  Tom Brady was famously a 6th round pick, so it’s not like Bill Belichick knew what he was getting.  The Patriots took a flier and got lucky.

Otherwise the situation is almost always one awaiting the right moment and hoping luck falls in favor of the team.  Very rarely is there a Cam Newton or an Andrew Luck that are as close to a sure thing as it gets.

So unless Ryan Pace has plans on going after the 1st overall pick in 2016, his job is clear.  Begin fortifying the Chicago Bears roster with as much quality talent as he can find.  Build his draft coffers with more picks and begin using them to probe each class for possible gems in the mid to later rounds or prepare for a massive move to go after one in the top 10 in the near future.  That is how most of these successful teams did it.

The key of course was patience.