Chicago Bears: Ryan Pace building New Orleans Saints of Midwest
If the 2017 NFL Draft proved anything for the Chicago Bears, it’s that general manager Ryan Pace is trying to build the New Orleans Saints.
There was some need for a period of reflection after the Chicago Bears completed making their selections in the 2017 NFL Draft.
No one could have predicted the Bears’ draft. The Bears entered the 2017 NFL Draft with a wealth of needs and the need to hit on every selection. It won’t be for another two or three years before we discover if the Bears’ hit on their 2017 NFL Draft selections but one thing is clear, Bears’ general manager Ryan Pace wants the Bears to become the New Orleans Saints.
When Pace was in the Saints’ scouting department, there were three major components to their success. Those components were quarterback Drew Brees, tight end Jimmy Graham, and running back Darren Sproles.
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The Bears may have found their versions of Brees, Graham, and Sproles in the 2017 NFL Draft.
With the No. 2 overall selection in the draft, the Bears selected their new face of the franchise in former North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Not only is Trubisky the long-term solution for the Bears at the quarterback position, but he now has the weight of the organization and Pace’s tenure on his shoulders. Pace was with the Saints when they tied their organizational hope to Brees. Pace has now done the same with the Bears in the form of Trubisky.
Every young quarterback needs a safety blanket and that is what Pace believes he acquired for Trubisky in the second round of the draft. With their second round pick, the Bears selected Division II tight end Adam Shaheen. Shaheen, a converted basketball player, looked like a man among boys while playing at Ashland during his collegiate seasons.
So if Trubisky is Brees and Shaheen is Graham, who is Sproles?
In the fourth round, the Bears chose undersized running back Tarik Cohen out of North Carolina A&T. With the Bears already having Jordan Howard and Jeremy Langford on the roster, selecting a running back in the fourth round was a tad surprising move for Pace and the Bears. However, Cohen represents the ability to make plays in the backfield with his speed. It’s likely that the Bears will look to use Cohen in a similar fashion that the Saints used Sproles.
Next: Ryan Pace following his vision for Chicago Bears
There is no doubt that Pace was bold in his approach to the 2017 NFL Draft. If it pays off, then this will be the draft that changed the Chicago Bears’ recent shortcomings. If it doesn’t, then this will be the draft that gets Pace fired from his first general manager’s position in the NFL.