Is It Really Smart to Assume That Ryan Pace is Safe?

Chicago Bears fans have come to their conclusions on what to expect in the next few months. The general belief is this. Head coach John Fox and most of his staff will likely be fired. This barring a dramatic turn of fortunes over the final seven games of the season. The Bears are 3-6. They need to go 4-3 down the stretch just to reach 7-9. Even that seems unlikely. That would make three-straight losing seasons for Fox. Hence gone. At the same time GM Ryan Pace will stay. So here's the question. Why? What makes him safe over Fox? After all Pace is tied to that disappointing 12-29 win-loss record too. Putting it all on the head coach isn't exactly fair. Most defend Pace because a number of the players he's acquired in the past three years have stood out, at least on an individual basis. Jordan Howard is a Pro Bowler. Akiem Hicks, Leonard Floyd, Cody Whitehair, and Eddie Jackson are all capable starters with huge upside. Their standout play has kept the wolves at bay for the time being. Nonetheless the team continues to lose. Not only that but it looks inferior at times to the hated Green Bay Packers. Pace is 1-5 against them too. Not just Fox. Thus the question comes up again. Why is it wrong to think he might get the boot this offseason too?

Ryan Pace would be first GM in Bears history to fire and hire two coaches

Don't let the rumors misguide you. Pace was the man who hired Fox. He signed off on it from the start and willingly defends the veteran coach at every opportunity. What makes this situation interesting is the fact that the Bears have never had a GM who hired a coach, fired him and got to hire a second one. People will be quick to point out Jim Finks did, but technically that's not true. Finks fired Abe Gibron at the end of 1974 (he took over before the end of the season). Then he hired Jack Pardee in 1975. Pardee was gone after 1977 but that was because he resigned to go coach the Redskins. Finks then hired Neill Armstrong, whom he fired in 1982. Mike Ditka was not his choice for a replacement. That move was made by George Halas himself. Jerry Angelo inherited Dick Jauron in 2001 before firing him and bringing in Lovie Smith in 2004. Phil Emery did the same thing with Smith in 2012 and hiring Marc Trestman a year later. Thus we come back full circle. Pace would be the first GM in Bears history to hire a coach, fire him and get to hire a second. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otxM_gs-ncs

Pace's all-out move for Mitch Trubisky was right but also smelled desperate

No one is saying Pace is bad, but it's impossible to say he's good either. He's added some solid talent to the roster and rebuilt several positions. At the same time he can't hide from several mistakes either. His mismanagement of the wide receiver position stands out. His mode of operation in free agency also leaves a lot to be desired. For every Hicks or Josh Sitton he lands, there have been several busts like Antrelle Rolle, Markus Wheaton, and Mike Glennon to name a few.

Put it this way. Finks inherited a roster that was arguably worse in late 1974 than the one Pace did in 2015. That didn't stop Finks from getting them to the playoffs in three seasons. This is Pace's third year and the Bears are no closer to the playoffs than they were his first year. That is hard to ignore. One can understand his move for Mitch Trubisky in the draft. To be clear it was the right call to take a quarterback. Chicago has danced around that position for way too long. At the same time his trade up from #3 to #2 had a slight hint of desperation to it. Is he hoping the move for the young quarterback buys him a little more time? People like to compare this 2017 Bears team to the 2016 Rams. Good defense but older coach and outdated offense. Their GM Les Snead fired Jeff Fisher before the season ended. Ownership decided to give him another chance to get it right. Snead hired Sean McVay and now the Rams are one of the best teams in the NFC. Will the Bears afford Pace the same opportunity? With this ownership, it's hard to say yes.