Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune has maintained an interesting line of dialogue with personnel directors around the league. Anybody who has paid attention during that time came away with an interesting trend. The belief that if Ryan Pace survived as GM, he’d aim to make a big move for the next Chicago Bears quarterback. Not only that but the move would likely come in the NFL draft.
Back in November, Biggs heard from a trusted source that believed Pace planned to go after another young quarterback. The idea being it would potentially buy him more time to finally get the roster up to a Super Bowl contender level. Fast forward a few months and Biggs was given an interesting statement from a high-level NFL source.
One that suggests the Bears are quite serious about an aggressive move up.
The player personnel director speculated the Bears could try to engineer a massive trade into the top five to draft a quarterback, which I hadn’t considered seriously because the price would be massive and competition to move up could be thick.
“Moving from 20 to top five is a king’s ransom,” the source texted. “And the right guy has to be there for the move obviously. Then you have to sell it. And people have to trust giving away multiple picks for that guy are worth it after they committed to Mike Glennon then Mitch (Trubisky) then Foles and now??? I imagine they have to do something to get better there; otherwise they’re basically returning the same team.”
Does this make any sense? Actually yes. One thing is apparent. Chicago wants to make a splash this offseason. They want to take a big cut at the quarterback position. They feel they have a roster that is capable of competing for a championship. A legitimate quarterback could put them over the top. Would Deshaun Watson, Dak Prescott, or Derek Carr make sense? Of course.
Those guys aren’t available though. After them, it becomes guys like Sam Darnold, Marcus Mariota, and Jameis Winston. Not exactly names that get people excited. Angling for a huge jump in the 1st round gives them a chance at a true long-term difference-maker. Somebody they can control for the next four years on a cheap contract.
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The Chicago Bears aren’t wrong to consider this approach either
There is proof that such an approach can actually work. Back in 2012, Miami Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland was under a ton of pressure. His team had just concluded a third-straight losing season. People wanted him out. He needed to make a splash. So he selected Ryan Tannehill 8th overall in the draft. Lucky for Ireland, the rookie threw for over 3,200 yards, improved the team record from the year before, and finished the season strong. This gave the GM another year in 2013 despite missing the playoffs.
Another example? Steve Keim was on the hot seat going into 2019. The Arizona Cardinals had just finished 3-13 and it was a surprise he was still employed. He had a decision to make. Ride with previous 1st round pick Josh Rosen or gamble on a new QB at #1 overall? He chose the latter, selecting Kyler Murray out of Oklahoma. The kid compiled over 4,000 yards from scrimmage with 24 touchdowns.
Keim remains in charge in Arizona. Despite missing the playoffs twice now.
So yeah. Pace may have the right idea here. Trading up to grab a rookie quarterback might not put the Chicago Bears in a position to win the Super Bowl in 2021. However, there is a chance it could set them up to be a competitor long-term. Similar to what he’d envisioned back in 2017. Remember this isn’t just about what’s best for the team. It’s about self-preservation.
What gives him better odds of survival? Trading for a second-tier veteran or gambling big on a top college prospect? We’re going to find out.
