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Chicago Bears: Five things to look watch for in 2017

By Carlos Nazario

Apr 28, 2017; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is interviewed after a press conference at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2017; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is interviewed after a press conference at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Is Fox coaching to keep his job in 2017?

Pace drafted quite a few non-FBS school football players. In fact, 60 percent of his draft picks come from non-FBS schools. There are some projects on the roster. What does that mean for the timetable of success?

Some say that while this offseason may either make or break Pace, ownership may give him some time before his seat gets hot. They need to see how the young players progress before deciding to cut their third general manager in just half a decade.

Fox is a different story, though. If the team struggles again, there needs to be a scapegoat. What better scapegoat than the head coach?

Cynical observers think that this was Pace’s plan all along. Fox wasn’t Pace’s choice to be the Bears head coach, so he may have bought time for himself and made it difficult for Fox. If the Bears struggle again in 2017, would they fire the coach and general manager together again like they did with Phil Emery and Marc Trestman? That is doubtful.

I am not so cynical. Granted, Fox may not be Pace’s choice, but he’s there. He might as well work with him. At any rate, Fox turned 62 in February. After 155 games (140 regular season games and 15 postseason games) and some health trouble of his own, how much longer will he coach?

It will be interesting to see how Fox coaches in 2017. Will he be aggressive and take some chances in order to win more games, or will he be laid back and coach conservatively? When you feel your job is on the line you can either fight for it or just accept the end.

Fox has one more season left on his four-year deal he signed. If he is to remain as the Bears coach in the future, a contract extension will be discussed. You don’t see many coaches entering the final season of a deal and signing another afterward. Coaching that final season makes him a lame duck.

Next: Jay Howard takes Bears' run defense to another level

The way we see Fox coach this season may be an indicator as to how much longer he remains head coach of the Chicago Bears.

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