Chicago Bears: Time For the Ryan Pace Report Card

Positives:

A willing investor into the quarterback position

Pace deserves a ton of credit here. GMs in the past have demonstrated a consistent unwillingness to invest at the quarterback position through the draft. Prior to Trubisky being selected, the team had drafted just 12 quarterbacks in 27 years dating back to 1989 when Jim McMahon left . Included among the QBs they could’ve had over that span were Mark Brunell, Matt Hasselbeck, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Derek Carr. Nobody knows whether Trubisky will be a hit or not but Pace at least was willing to take the risk.

Consistently finds quality talent later in drafts

A big hallmark of good general managers is their ability to navigate a draft and find quality talent in places other teams might not be looking. Pace has cultivated such a reputation. Some of his biggest draft hits to this point were found in the mid to late rounds. That includes Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen and Eddie Jackson. He’s also collected solid contributors from undrafted free agency including Bryce Callahan, John Timu, Cre’Von LeBlanc, and Jonathan Anderson. None of them are stars but all have produced some positive plays in reserve. Callahan is a quality starter.

Has kept a healthy salary cap

Some might call it being cheap but the reality is Pace has spent a bunch of money over the past three years in free agency. Granted he hasn’t taken a huge swing as yet but he hasn’t done nothing. Part of his operation is maintaining a healthy salary cap. He doesn’t want to spend the big money on outside veterans. He wants to retain it for inside players. Kyle Long, Charles Leno and Akiem Hicks are recent examples. Pace likes to reward his own players for good performance while maintaining financial flexibility.  This isn’t a bad thing.

Rapid reconstruction of multiple positions

Even amidst all the criticisms, Pace deserves a ton of credit for rapidly rebuilding several position groups in such a short span of time. Nowhere is that clearer than at running back and the defensive front seven. In 2015 the team did not have Howard or Cohen in the backfield nor Hicks, Leonard Floyd, Danny Trevathan or Jerrell Freeman up front on defense. All of those players were acquired in the space of a calendar year. That is pretty impressive work. He also deepened the talent pools at tight end and cornerback as well.