Chicago Bears: Three things most to blame for bad 2017 season

Ryan Pace and his talent acquisition

On the whole, I actually like Pace and some of the moves he’s made with this team. His last two drafts, in particular, have gifted the Chicago Bears with players that can serve as cornerstones when this team is ready to compete for a title again.

But we can’t act as if Pace deserves complete absolution from the mess this season has become.

For one thing, that 2015 draft still stands out like a sore thumb in regards to the state of this team overall.

Right now, you probably have to say without reservation that he missed on Kevin White, whom he took seventh-overall that year, and that that failure has dramatically affected this team’s fate. Relying on White to be one of this year’s top receiving options backfired spectacularly. And even when he wasn’t injured, he never really showed that he could be the man they drafted him to be.

Plus, Hroniss Grasu (bad) and Jeremy Langford (cut) didn’t pan out either; to be honest, I’d be shocked if Grasu made next year’s roster, at this point.

And his free agent signings for this year especially stunk the place up at Halas Hall.

Demps played three largely ineffective games at safety before bowing out with an injury.

Markus Wheaton has three catches on the season for 51 yards (!!!!!) and has struggled to stay healthy/work his way onto the field himself.

And Mike Glennon, whom the Bears took a chance on as a guy who could at least bridge the gap to their next quarterback? He, for lack of better phrasing, sucked too bad to make it through five games as the starter.

Also, though I have doubts about whether this was his first choice or not, Pace hired John Fox, the statistically worst football coach in Chicago Bears history.

I still believe that Pace deserves the chance to complete his vision for this rebuild.

His hand-picked quarterback, despite some rough performances, looks like he can be a star with the right coaching and personnel around him. And all of his picks this season, including the seldom-used Shaheen, have flashed into their rookie years.

But however much you like some of the things he’s done, you have to admit that he’s not blameless for this disappointing season.