Ryan Pace, Chicago Bears
Team’s record during his tenure: 9–23, zero playoff berths
Key move(s) this off-season: Traded up to draft Mitchell Trubisky
Outlook: It’s quite apparent that the Bears have reached a fork in the road. This is year three of the Pace/John Fox era, which thus far has produced records of 6–10 and 3–13. Pace spent this off-season completely reshaping Chicago’s QB position: He released Jay Cutler and signed Mike Glennon, then spent significant draft capital to acquire the No. 2 pick and use it on Trubisky. Reports out of the Windy City were that Fox had been kept in the dark until the late stages of that draft decision.
Trubisky’s situation could buy Pace time, even if it makes Fox’s life more difficult. With Glennon expected to be the starter in 2017, Trubisky is a prime sit-and-develop candidate, which means returns on the trade for him may not be available until ’18, at the earliest. Still, this roster is nowhere close to being a finished product, with potential trouble spots all over the field. Pace may be offered time to make those repairs, but the clock is ticking.
