Chicago Bears: Ryan Pace hinted at aggressive 2019 approach

It sounds like Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace has plenty on his plate as the 2019 offseason approaches, but he doesn’t seem perturbed.

On the agenda are some obvious decisions, starting with what he plans to do with kicker Cody Parkey after his disastrous debut this past season. One in which he missed 11 kicks in all including the one that would’ve sent them to the divisional round of the playoffs. It’s clear Pace and head coach Matt Nagy were not thrilled with Parkey after his highly covered appearance on The Today Show. Though Pace didn’t make an outright decision, he made it clear competition was coming.

What he didn’t clarify was whether Parkey would be part of that competition. All signs point to the Bears cutting their losses and finding somebody else to kick for them next year. Then there is the matter of in-house free agents. The Bears have a few notable names to figure out including right tackle Bobby Massie, cornerback Bryce Callahan, and safety Adrian Amos.

Those three played well in 2018 and could earn new contracts but Pace must be careful since he doesn’t have as much money to throw around as in years past. Even with all of this though, Pace reiterated the plans to remain aggressive.

Pace- "We are going to do everything we can to improve our roster." When talking about FA & the draft.

He said they will be aggressive but they won't be forced into anything. #Bears
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) January 14, 2019

Ryan Pace will have to get creative in order to make a bold move

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This shouldn’t be a big surprise. Pace has gotten the Bears to this point by taking an aggressive approach. However, the problem this time around is resources. Thanks to the Khalil Mack trade and subsequent contract extension, they find themselves without 1st or 2nd round picks this year as well as only a projected $19.7 million in salary cap space for free agency. Neither situation is conducive to making any sort of aggressive maneuver to add more talent.

In order for that to change, Pace would have to get creative in some aspect. Can he trade somebody on the roster for extra draft currency? Perhaps somebody who may not be with the team long-term but still has value in the eyes of the league. It’s not impossible. A few names that may stand out in that regard are Jordan Howard, Jonathan Bullard, or even Kyle Long. The Bears only have five picks in total, so this is an avenue they will definitely explore.

As for the money, they do have a few moves they can make to clear up extra space which include releasing tight end Dion Sims and maybe linebacker Sam Acho as well. That would net them an extra $8 million in spending money. It’s not a lot but it could be just enough to allow them one sizable move in free agency to upgrade their roster.

What Pace will do with it? Only time will tell.

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