Chicago Bears (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
If things don’t go according to plan for the Chicago Bears in 2020, they could be in the market for a new general manager.
After a surprising 2018 campaign, the Chicago Bears had an incredibly disappointing 2019 season. A season that started out with hopes of a Super Bowl run ended with an offseason that saw them signing a high-priced veteran quarterback in free agency. Needless to say, if things don’t go well for the Monsters of the Midway in 2020, they could hit the reset button and be in the market for a new general manager.
Look, this piece isn’t an overreaction to trading a fourth-round pick for Nick Foles. It’s not even an argument in favor of firing Ryan Pace. It’s simply an acknowledgment of the reality that Pace has so much riding on the outcome of this season.
While Pace inherited a bare cupboard from Jerry Angelo and deserves a ton of credit for building an elite defense, he has struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball. His failure to find a competent quarterback is largely responsible for his 34-46 record as a general manager. During his five-year tenure, they have only one winning season and have won exactly zero playoff games.
To his credit, he realized he needed an upgrade at the quarterback position and attempted to address that with the Foles signing. However, hitching your job security to the wagon of a career journeyman is a risky proposition — like eating at the Golden Corral buffet at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
So if this doesn’t pan out, and the Bears clean house (which would likely include Pace and head coach Matt Nagy) who are some options to keep an eye on? We identify three who could be realistic options.