Another Insider Names Jeff Ireland As Growing Favorite For Bears GM Job

Back in early December, the speculation began on what direction the Chicago Bears might go at GM were they to move on from Ryan Pace. There is no shortage of possibilities. George McCaskey reportedly has vetted multiple candidates since then. One name that came up was New Orleans Saints assistant GM. Not just because of his success with that organization since arriving in 2015, but also his rumored interest in the Bears job. Ireland is the grandson of former Chicago scouting director Jim Parmer. One of the key architects of those great 1980s teams. The longtime executive grew up loving the Bears and seems to covet their GM position because of that. Now it seems another insider is hearing similar things coming from the team's side. Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network indicates that the interest is mutual.

"NFL Chief Draft Analyst and Insider Tony Pauline hears the McClaskeys like Pace, but public pressure to clean house might force their hand after zero playoff wins in his seven seasons in charge. A name to watch if that happens is New Orleans Saints executive Jeff Ireland, who served as the Miami Dolphins’ general manager from 2008-2013."

There are multiple layers to such an idea.

Right now the hot rumor is the Bears might move on from Pace as GM but keep him in the organization. Perhaps "promoting" him to President of Football Operations. This would mean they hire somebody to fill his vacated position. Ireland coming from New Orleans, the same place that Pace did back in 2015, would make logical sense. It would make it easier for the two men to work together while also bringing a fresh voice to the table. On the other hand, there is another prominent rumor. That of Jim Harbaugh. It is no secret at this point the Michigan head coach is contemplating a return to the NFL and the Bears are atop his list of destinations. Ireland is a GM he'd like to be paired with. This shouldn't be a surprise. The two know each other both from their time together in Chicago back in the '80s and also Ireland's pursuit of him as a head coach back in 2011 with the Dolphins. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Saints-Jeff-Ireland-Talks-Draft-Process-Combine-Changes-2020-NFL-Combine.mp4"][/video]

Jeff Ireland would be a rare retread

Head coaches tend to get second chances way more often in the NFL than GMs do. Ireland has a chance to be a rare exception. This should speak to how good he is at his job. Based on his track record, it's not hard to see why. In 2005, he became the director of scouting for the Dallas Cowboys. Since then, Ireland has played a central role in the draft of no fewer than 18 eventual Pro Bowl players. That doesn't include Ryan Ramczyk who was named an All-Pro in New Orleans or Miles Austin who became a Pro Bowler as an undrafted free agent. Facts are facts. When teams employ Jeff Ireland, he tends to find really good football players. The problem he ran into with the Dolphins was his inability to find a head coach. Tony Sparano and Joe Philbin were the two hires he made. Both proved flops. Now that he's finally working with a top coach in New Orleans, the players he's helping to get are thriving The Saints are on the cusp of a playoff berth despite having a bunch of nobodies at quarterback.

It shouldn't be a surprise the man is a hot name for GM jobs.

He is good at what he does. The Bears could do a lot worse if he ends up being the guy. What it comes down to is whether he can find the right head coach. Presuming the Harbaugh connection is indeed real, then that would be a strong pairing. A proven winner at head coach coupled with a GM that knows how to find Pro Bowl talent. That usually leads to a lot of success.