The NFL trade deadline came and passed on Thursday afternoon, with the Chicago Bears choosing not to trade any of their veteran players away. There was speculation that wide receiver Allen Robinson, defensive end Akiem Hicks, and linebacker Khalil Mack would be traded away to collect future draft selections. With general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy's jobs in jeopardy, the Bears' front office could be attempting to make a final push for the playoffs, regardless if they remain with the Bears after 2021.

Pace And Nagy Need To Be As Successful As Possible For Potential Future Suitors

Unless the Bears can go undefeated for the remainder of the season, Pace and Nagy will likely be fired at the season's end, even if Chicago makes the playoffs. Bears' ownership will not tolerate another season of backing into the playoffs, only to be eliminated in the first round. Chicago's offense has been heavily scrutinized as rookie quarterback Justin Fields has struggled to show growth on a game-by-game basis. If  ownership replaces Nagy and Pace at the end of the year, both could find a second opportunity with another NFL team. The NFL has a strong history of general managers and head coaches getting a second opportunity following a disappointing departure from a previous employer. Several former Chicago Bears' head coaches, including Dick Jauron and Lovie Smith, were hired as head coaches by other teams following their firings. Jauron coached the Bears from 1999 to 2003 and only produced one playoff season. Despite the poor record, the Buffalo Bills hired him as their head coach in 2006.

Smith led the Bears to the playoffs three times, including a Super Bowl appearance in 2006. Former general manager Phil Emery fired the coach after he had been with Chicago for nine seasons. After sitting out the 2013 season, Smith was hired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be their head coach in 2014.

For Nagy, if the Bears can make the NFC Playoffs as a seventh seed, he could put himself in a position to be hired if the Bears fire him at the end of the 2021 season. Chicago's current head coach will have overseen a team that would have made the playoffs three of the last four seasons and never had a losing season under his tenure. A future employer may not let Nagy have offensive play-calling duties, but they could entrust him to be their head coach from a leadership standpoint. Another playoff season and winning record could also be critical for Pace to be hired by a future employer. Demonstrating a sense of stability would be even more vital for him. Chicago's current general manager has already proven that he can rebuild an organization as he did just that with the Bears from 2015 to 2017. He took over a roster left in shambles by Emery following the 2014 season, only to have the Bears win the NFC North Division in 2018. Having four consecutive non-losing seasons and demonstrating an ability to overhaul a roster would convince another NFL team to hire Pace as their next general manager.

The Bears' Schedule Favors Them In Pursing the Seventh Spot For The NFC Playoffs

With the NFL having 14 playoff teams, the Carolina Panthers currently hold the seventh and final NFC playoff spot with a 4-4 record. Following the Panthers, the Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and Seattle Seahawks are teams that remain in the hunt. Seattle has struggled without All-Pro quarterback Russell Wilson, who could miss several more games with a wrist injury. The 49ers, Vikings, and Panthers have tougher remaining schedules than the Bears, with Chicago only having difficult games against the Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, and Green Bay Packers left. Of Chicago's remaining nine games, six appear to be winnable games which could be enough to get them into the playoffs as the seventh seed. The Panthers have games remaining against the surging New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and will play Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice. Minnesota's remaining schedule includes games against the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, and Green Bay Packers twice. Furthermore, the Bears will face the Vikings twice towards the end of the season.

Chicago having a better strength of schedule than other NFC teams in playoff-contention could have led to the team choosing not to trade away key players at the deadline. The Bears could make the playoffs with only nine wins due to the other NFC teams having faced more difficult opponents. Although Bears' ownership wouldn't be pleased with a repeat of the 2020 season where the team backed into the playoffs, both Pace and Nagy would be content with those results, even if fired. For fans and analysts, the Bears being inactive at the trade deadline was a disappointment as the roster will need to be rebuilt at some point. Nagy and Pace need for the Bears to win as many of their remaining games as possible not just to save their current jobs but to better their chances of earning a second job. Trading away players at the deadline would have been a clear admission of failure by Chicago's general manager and head coach, which would hurt them regardless.