The Chicago Bears did a complete overhaul of their organization for the 2022 season.
They fired both their head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace.
Other coaching positions saw openings as well.
The team didn’t stop there, as they also released and traded players in 2022.
This full overhaul by the new management in Chicago might have fans thinking back to Pace and his time there.
Looking back at Pace’s time as GM can tell a story of how Bears fans should view his management moves.
Pace Did Make Moves To Acquire Khalil Mack In 2018
The biggest move Pace did in his time with the Bears was the deal for edge rusher Khalil Mack.
That move would energize the defense and help the Bears win the NFC North title that year.
It came in his third year as the general manager of the team and helped fans start believing in him.
However, that trade came at a high price.
It cost the team two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and a sixth-round pick.
The high price was worth it for the Bears that season, as he paid dividends immediately.
However, injuries would later plague his time in Chicago and cause the Bears new management to trade him in 2022.
On Sept. 1, 2018, the #Bears traded for Khalil Mack — indicating they were ready to compete for a title.
On March 10, 2022, the Bears began finalizing a trade to send Mack to the LAC — indicating the organization is in a rebuild.
1,286 days a part.
How times have changed.
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) March 11, 2022
Pace’s Draft Day Trades Have Been A Mix Bag
Pace made plenty of moves as GM during the NFL Draft when he was in Chicago.
Some trades were good for Chicago.
The good ones include trading up for Leonard Floyd and Eddie Jackson while trading down for Cody Whitehair.
Don't be shocked if Bears trade back again just like last year. Remember they got Cody Whitehair a future all pro after doing that in '16
— Greg Gabriel (@greggabe) April 28, 2017
Floyd and Jackson were key components of the Bears’ 2018 defense that ranked in the top five.
Whitehair turned out to be a versatile offensive lineman that helped motivate the team.
So those trades helped the team in both the short and long-term for Chicago.
However, Pace made one of the worst draft day trades in the history of the NFL.
Trade With The 49ers To Move Up One Spot Cost The Bears A Lot
He would trade up one spot to select Mitch Trubisky.
#49ers trade down with #Bears for 2nd pick. #49ers will now pick 3rd.
— Anthony Flores (@AnthonyTVSports) April 28, 2017
The trade also cost the team the 67th and 111th picks in 2017 along with the 70th pick in 2018.
The players selected with those picks were Alvin Kamara, Tedric Thompson, and Fred Warner.
Both Kamara and Warner are elite players in the NFL now and could have made a tremendous difference in Chicago.
The move to pick Trubisky also meant the Bears passed on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
It might not mean much of a diff passing on Watson.
However, passing on Mahomes changed everything.
Mahomes now has two Super Bowl appearances under his belt and one Super Bowl championship with Kansas City.
Final Verdict
Pace traded away lots of draft capital during his time with the Bears.
While some trades had a short-term payoff for the team, it hurt the future of the Bears.
Looking back, Pace hurt the long-term success of Chicago with his dealings.
However, he left a couple of talented players for the Bears to work with in 2022 and beyond.
But overall, Pace wasn’t good for Chicago.
NEXT: Bears Missed Out On Ryan Bates In Free Agency