Disfunctional Bears Rewarding Incompetence

So much for collaboration.

The buzzword for 2021 tossed at us by Bears board chairman George McCaskey and president Ted Phillips emphasized the working relationship between GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy, and this helped bring quarterback Justin Fields to Chicago last spring.

According to a report by Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, GM Pace's collaboration is valued a little more than Nagy's because while it's been apparent for weeks Nagy is being fired it is likely Pace keeps his job.

Biggs cited an "undercurrent of discussion among folks around the league," as a reason for saying Pace is going to remain employed.

In fact, Biggs reports it's possible Pace's retention comes with a promotion to a president of football operations status or some other such title. It's unclear whether the new GM or Pace would then hire a new coach.

This sounds like the kind of lunacy bottom-feeding organizations such as Jacksonville, the Jets and Detroit might apply.

The Bears have at least been competitive over the last seven years except when playing Green Bay, but a decision like this shows they appear headed for more and even worse decisions than they've been making. This all seems likely, though, considering the last time they fired a coach they also gave Pace a contract extension. That was in 2017 and it seemed like they were doubling down on Pace, who produced Nagy.

Now they're going to up the ante even more and let Pace play a huge role in this total change of the team's organizational structure.

The only redeeming factor in such a move would be that neither McCaskey nor Phillips would be making the decision on a head coach or even on the GM, since it would be Pace.

Could he do it? His decisions as GM have produced a team in the playoffs twice in the last four years, but also only twice in the last seven years. They have had one winning season in his tenure.

At a time when forward-thinking organizations would be firing Pace for a 48-66 record in seven seasons and for trading away good picks in 2017 to move up for Mitchell Trubisky, the McCaskey Experience is going to instead reward him with more responsibility and perhaps even more money.

The obvious need is for the organization to be gutted.

Because McCaskey and Phillips lack any credibility at football decisions, they'll just pass the entire thing off on Pace and on long-suffering Bears fans.

It's obvious this can impact the quality of the head coaching candidates who want to be in Chicago, although the job is of enough prominence that some good candidates would come no matter what.

Those who have either experience coaching or experience within the league will step back, take a look at the mess created by the McCaskeys and Phillips, and back away with a "thanks, but no thanks."

The only out from this mess is a complete housecleaning, and in that case Phillips and McCaskey would need to hire some sort of search firm or advisor again as in the past to help them find a new head of football or GM to fill the coaching and possibly GM spot.

They lack the expertise in football to actually do it themselves.

And it is right there were the chief problem has existed all along.

It's a situation that existed in Chicago dating back to when their family fired Mike Ditka and replaced him with Dave Wannstedt.

The only real solution to end the cycle of disfunction is they let someone else make these decisions by selling the team.

Anything less always leaves in question whether someone competent is making important decisions at Halas Hall.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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