Why Blaming Ryan Pace for the Kevin White Issue Is Wrong
By Erik Lambert
This latest news regarding another injury to wide receiver Kevin White is unfortunate, but the idea it’s time to blame Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace is ridiculous.
First of all this setback does not mean by any stretch that White is a bust. Not yet. Many good players in history dealt with injury problems early in their careers before finally getting things going. White was just starting to play well before his setback, so there is reason to believe he’ll continue to get better once back healthy. In the meantime the team will just have to adjust.
For another thing, it’s not like Pace was universally panned for his selection of White last year. Almost every credible draft expert said it was a great choice. On top of that, there was no injury problems in White’s history. So the warning signs were non-existent. This sort of thing happens to players. They are healthy throughout college and then when they get to the NFL, things just start happening.
If none of that helps, then maybe a history lesson will. Die-hard Chicago Bears fans will remember the name Jim Finks. For those who don’t, here’s some background. He was hired as the new GM of the team in 1974. At that point the franchise had not made the playoffs since 1963. The roster was utterly devoid of talent. Finks was brought in to do what many others had failed to. He had to dig them out of that pit by sheer force of will. Of course it meant overturning the entire roster.
Years later Finks is revered as the man who built the iconic 1985 Bears roster, even though he departed after 1983. What many don’t remember is that the first few years of his time as GM were rather quiet. From 1974 to 1978, Finks drafted 63 players in total. Would anybody care to know how many of those players went to a Pro Bowl in their NFL careers?
One.
Yep, just one player. His name was Walter Payton, the 4th overall pick of the 1975 NFL draft. The remainder of the selections ranged from complete busts to serviceable starters. Another interesting twist to note? Finks’ first pick in charge of the organization was Waymond Bryant, a linebacker out of Tennessee State taken 4th overall in 1974. He lasted just four seasons in the league. The main reason? Injuries. He just couldn’t shake them.
Sound familiar?
The point is even if White ends up being a bust, and it’s still way too early for that, it should not in anyway condemn Ryan Pace for being a bad GM. This isn’t some sort of misguided Phil Emery reach like with Shea McClellin was back in 2012. That pick was questionable both in terms of talent and scheme fit and lent to a serious concern about Emery’s judgment. Given the success of other picks like Eddie Goldman, Adrian Amos, Cody Whitehair, Deiondre Hall and Jordan Howard it’s fair to say Pace might know what he’s doing.
If the player is bad, that’s one thing. If the player is good but can’t stay healthy in the most violent sport on the planet, that’s another.