Ryan Pace named 2018 NFL Executive of the Year
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace has been named the 2018 NFL Executive of the Year by Sporting News, which is voted on by all 32 NFL team executives.
Pace is the third Bears executive to win the honor and the first since Michael McCaskey in 1985. George "Papa Bear" Halas was the first to win the award in 1956.
Following the 2017 season, Pace took the organization in a different direction and sought to find the next head coach to lead the Bears into the future. On January 8, 2018, Pace hired Matt Nagy as Chicago's 16th head coach in franchise history. Nagy and the Bears went 12-4 and captured the club's first NFC North division title since 2010 with a return to the postseason for the first time in eight years. Nagy would go on to earn Associated Press and PFWA Coach of the Year honors while setting a record for the most wins by a first-year head coach in franchise history.
With Nagy in place, Pace used all avenues available to help bolster a young and promising roster. He made a splash on the first day of free agency last March, signing wide receivers Allen Robinson II and Taylor Gabriel and tight end Trey Burton. Pace also awarded players such as defensive backs Prince Amukamara and Kyle Fuller with multiyear extensions.
Pace and his team kept their foot on the gas in April during the 2018 NFL Draft, selecting three ESPN.com All-Rookie Team honorees in linebacker Roquan Smith (Round 1, 8th overall), offensive lineman James Daniels (Round 2, 39th overall) and defensive lineman Bilal Nichols (Round 5, 145th overall). He also traded up in the second round to grab wide receiver Anthony Miller (Round 2, 51st overall), who finished second among all rookie wide receivers with seven touchdown receptions. Smith, meanwhile, would go on to record the second-most tackles (122) by a Bears rookie in franchise history. Nichols made an immediate impact on the defensive front, recording three sacks, while Daniels started the final 10 games at left guard.
But Pace saved his boldest move for last. With the season opener looming - 8 days away to be exact - Pace acquired All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack in a trade with the Oakland Raiders, a move that turned Chicago's already Top-10 defense into the league's most dominant unit in 2018. Mack did not disappoint, leading the Bears with 12.5 sacks and six forced fumbles as Chicago led the NFL in takeaways (36), interceptions (27), fewest first downs (17.3 pg), fewest rushing yards allowed (80.0 pg) and fewest points allowed (17.7 ppg), among many others, and finished third in turnover margin (+12), points off takeaways (107) and yards per game allowed (299.7).
Eight players, including Mack, were named to the 2019 Pro Bowl following the season. Joining Mack were defensive backs Eddie Jackson and Fuller, punt returner Tarik Cohen, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and offensive linemen Cody Whitehair and Charles Leno Jr. Mack, Fuller, Jackson and Cohen also were named AP All-Pros.