Chicago Bears: Explaining The Mastery of Ryan Pace
By Erik Lambert
Targets winners
There is a certain subtlety to how Pace is playing the market. It’s not just random chance when he signs a certain player because they play a certain position. Specific requirements are apparent in each one, and a big trait sits right at the top of the list.
Most of them come from winning teams. Let’s recap for a moment.
Danny Trevathan
- Won the Super Bowl with Denver in 2015
Pernell McPhee
- Won the Super Bowl with Baltimore in 2012
Tracy Porter
- Won the Super Bowl with New Orleans in 2009
Antrel Rolle
- Won the Super Bowl with New York in 2011
Oh, and it’s not just the free agents that reflect this philosophy. It’s also evident in whom Pace targets for his draft picks.
Kevin White
- West Virginia has played in 12 bowl games in 13 seasons.
Eddie Goldman
- Won national championship at Florida State in 2013.
Hroniss Grasu
- Won three bowl games at Oregon including a Fiesta and a Rose.
Jeremy Langford
- Won a Rose Bowl and a Fiesta Bowl while at Michigan State
It’s clear that Ryan Pace is targeting talented players, sure, but also players who are used to winning. Players like that tend to have a hard time accepting the idea of losing, which makes them often work all the harder to ensure it doesn’t happen. This is the kind of culture the Bears have lost touch with. Pace sees that, and is aiming to fix it.
Next: The Market