Ryan Pace and Bears Monumentally Shafted in Front Office Rankings

It's almost become a joke at this point. The Chicago Bears have struggled for any sort of notoriety from the wider national media. Here's a team that just went 12-4. They won the NFC North title and they came a missed field goal away from dethroning the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles. Yet still many people refuse to acknowledge them as a team on the rise. A team that was masterfully constructed by their young GM, Ryan Pace.

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that there is an undercurrent of people who have it out for Pace. Why this is? Nobody is certain. He has his share of believers. The man did just win Sporting News Executive of the Year. A prestigious honor. That said, it hasn't impressed some. The latest evidence comes from ESPN. The "worldwide leader" is one of the hotbeds of Bears criticism in recent years.

This was reinforced when they released their rankings of the top 10 front offices in the NFL. Chicago? They weren't even on it. Even more laughable? Two of the teams that are haven't made the playoffs since at least 2016 and had losing records last year. Feel free to ask Seth Walder about that.

"4. Cleveland Browns: John Dorsey inherited a slew of assets from Sashi Brown, but he's capitalized on the opportunity. And he swindled the Giants out of Odell Beckham Jr. after Big Blue handed the wideout a contract...

...10. Miami Dolphins: Tanking for Tua while taking a shot on a young QB with upside in Josh Rosen are exactly the right moves for Miami. Chris Grier is off to a good start as head of football operations by embracing a rebuild."

Ryan Pace may only get his due by winning a title

At this point, it's difficult to understand what else Pace and his staff can do to get respect. They inherited the only roster in the NFL in 2015. A group that went 5-11 the previous year including two games they allowed 50 points or more on defense. Pace, without the benefit of a top 5 pick his first two years on the job like many GMs who start their careers, managed to transform that roster three years and four offseasons into one of the deepest, youngest, and most talented in the NFL.

One that is fully capable of reaching and winning a Super Bowl. His defense finished #1 in the NFL in most categories. His head coach choice in Matt Nagy was Coach of the Year in 2018. The young quarterback he drafted in Mitch Trubisky took a big step forward as a Pro Bowl alternate. He managed to keep the roster virtually intact through the 2019 offseason despite obvious money difficulties. One former colleague in Joe Douglas is now a GM and his current Assistant Director of Player Personnel Champ Kelly was almost hired as one.

Pace doesn't get enough credit for what he's accomplished. The sad part is it will probably stay that way until his team wins a Super Bowl.