In recent years, the Chicago Bears have been something of a laughing stock throughout the NFL.
They have made the playoffs just twice since 2010 and have failed to win a single postseason contest during that span.
In 2021, Chicago went 6-11 and sparked some big changes, including the firing of general manager Ryan Pace.
Weeks later, the Atlanta Falcons hired him to be their chief personnel executive, and he has now been promoted to the position of director of player personnel, through Adam Schefter.
Former Bears general manager Ryan Pace, who had turned Atlanta scouting, was named the Falcons’ new director of player personnel.
Former Atlanta director of player personnel Kyle Smith has been promoted to assistant general manager for the Falcons.
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 28, 2023
Pace made a name for himself years ago as a member of the New Orleans Saints’ scouting department, serving as their professional scouting director when they won the Super Bowl during the 2009 season behind star quarterback Drew Brees.
He was then signed by the Bears in 2015 in hopes that he would revive the long-dormant franchise.
He was behind the trade that allowed them to draft quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft, and while Trubisky made the Pro Bowl in his second season, it never really worked out and he left after the 2020 season. .
The Falcons had a dismal 2022 season in which they won just seven games, but they hope to be relevant again very soon.
They were lucky to take running back Bijan Robinson, who many believe will become a huge star, while wide receiver Drake London is coming off a solid rookie season.
Atlanta has a sizable hole at quarterback, where they trust Desmond Ridder, a third-round pick in 2022, to run the show, but maybe they have the offensive power to start getting better.
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NFL Insider shares a 2023 Chargers checklist
