After a tremendous 2018 season for the Chicago Bears, the Sporting News named Ryan Pace their executive of the year.
The Chicago Bears’ magical 2018 season was catapulted by what was a tremendous offseason by Ryan Pace.
Pace took a decent roster but one that had been producing losing records, and turned it into one of the top rosters in the league in just one offseason.
After all that tremendous work, Ryan Pace was honored.
Ryan Pace hired Matt Nagy, traded for Khalil Mack, and overhauled the Bears offense.
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) March 25, 2019
Pace is the Sporting News Executive of the Year, based on a vote of his fellow NFL executives: https://t.co/qYNuRVbV3T pic.twitter.com/T8ZBMt52Lp
The Sporting News named Ryan Pace their NFL Executive of the Year. What’s great about this award is that it’s voted on by Pace’s peers, not just writers with bias. The other executives around the league took notice of what Pace did last offseason and gave him the nod.
Let’s summarize Pace’s magic carpet ride shall we?
It all started off in January when Ryan Pace decided it was time to make a chance as head coach of the Chicago Bears. John Fox was relieved of his position and former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy was brought in to run the ship.
After getting a new man at the top of his roster, Pace focused on free agency where he completely overhauled Mitch Trubisky’s weapons inking Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel and Trey Burton.
After the dust settled in free agency, Pace turned his attention to the draft where he landed Roquan Smith in round 1, James Daniels and Anthony Miller in round 2 and found a steal in round 5 in defensive lineman Bilal Nichols.
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Of course, Pace wasn’t done there, just before the season started, he traded for All-Pro edge Khalil Mack.
Pace added eight key players to the team in one offseason. Eight.
If you want to know how you go from last to first, find 8 quality starters in one offseason and upgrade a third of your starters and you’ll see a quick turnaround.
To no one’s surprise, Pace’s 2019 offseason has been far quieter, but when he needed to strike, Pace did just exactly that last year and his peers noticed what he did, and voted him the best executive in the NFL in 2018.
If Pace continues to draft well and maintain this Chicago Bears’ roster, this won’t be the last time that Ryan Pace receives this award. You could argue this is only the beginning of Pace’s reign as Bears’ GM.