INDIANAPOLIS -- Chicago Bears' general manager Ryan Pace spoke to the media on Wednesday morning at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Here's the link to the presser if you wanted to hear Pace in detail:
For the most part, the press conference was pretty standard for an NFL Combine interview -- much of what Pace discussed was stuff we already knew in some way or another. But we did learn some new things as well. A few thoughts...
Thoughts
1. While we know the Bears will release kicker Cody Parkey this offseason, Pace confirmed that the decision was strictly based on 2018 performance. Many people thought that the final nail in the coffin was Parkey's appearance on NBC's Today Show following his double-doink against Philadelphia knocked Chicago out of the playoffs. But Pace kept the onus on performance. That's fair -- Parkey missed 11 kicks in 2018 and hit the upright six times (!). An upgrade was certainly needed, but it's good to hear that the Bears didn't need his national TV appearance to make the decision for them. His poor season was reason enough. 2. Pace said that the Bears will prioritize leg strength with their next kicker (whichever avenue they take). The biggest leg among 2019 draft prospects belongs to Matt Gay -- expect the Bears to keep him in mind. 3. Speaking of kickers, Pace mentioned that Redford Jones, whom the Bears signed early in the offseason, had a splendid workout. That's why the Bears signed him. You can bet that Jones is just one piece of the competition puzzle this offseason. Expect that Pace will bring in multiple kickers -- veterans, young free agents and perhaps a draft pick to try to get this position right. 4. When it comes to running backs, Pace said he prefers vision and instincts as the primary attributes when evaluating them. That leads to this thought:Measurables and other attributes are not as important for him compared to those attributes. One name I'd keep an eye on (from my study so far) is David Montgomery from Iowa State. His vision and instincts are exceptional and he's a playmaker. His speed is a bit questionable, but again, he fits what Pace is looking for. 5. Also speaking about running backs, Pace said that the Bears discussed signing Kareem Hunt but it never got 'serious', which is interesting given what we heard at the season-ending press conference and his ties to Matt Nagy. So that puts that story to bed. Hunt, of course, signed with Cleveland earlier this offseason. 6. Pace said he believed that Chicago is now an attractive destination for free agents. Given their publicized camaraderie and success from last year, it's no surprise that players will want to play for the Bears. I wonder how this will affect the Bears' pursuit of veterans who have made their money and are looking for opportunities for a ring. For example, if Kansas City releases edge rusher Justin Houston, would he sign for a discount in Chicago? 7. Pace mentioned the Bears would be open to practicing with another team in training camp again. I wonder if they would team up with the Broncos again. Vic Fangio is now their head coach and they play in Denver in 2019. It makes sense. 8. Finally, Ryan Pace is going to have fun with this draft. He's embracing the challenge of having just five picks (at the moment) in the 2019 NFL Draft. He doesn't expect to stray from his best player available mantra and said we should look out for potential draft movement if the opportunity presents itself. Pace's drafts are never boring.
