We’re only in Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season, but Ryan Pace is already showing that his time with the Chicago Bears should be up soon.
It’s been a roller coaster week for Chicago Bears fans. After enduring a brutal first three quarters in their Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions, Mitch Trubisky and Company led a 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter.
Then on Tuesday, No. 1 wide receiver Allen Robinson reportedly asked for a trade. Then he reportedly didn’t.
Almost immediately after reports surface of the trade request that wasn’t, numerous teammates came forward in support of an extension for Robinson.
Regardless of whether or not Robinson did or did not request a trade, Robinson has every right to be upset that he hasn’t earned an extension from the Bears.
Last year, AR was 7th overall in receptions across the NFL. Of those seven players, all but 34-year-old Julian Edelman were signed through at least 2024. Robinson remains a free agent after the 2020 season.
Plain and simple, Robinson and the Bears shouldn’t be in this situation. Instead of celebrating a division win and prepping for their home opener against the New York Giants, the first half of Week 2 has seen players and fans turning against the front office and expressing their displeasure towards Robinson’s contract situation.
It’s evident that at least some players aren’t exactly thrilled with Pace’s performance as of late.
Unfortunately, the Robinson saga is far from Pace’s only blemish on his record.
For starters, the team hasn’t been able to find an adequate place kicker since the departure of Robbie Gould. Heck, it may be time to start a Bears kicker jersey much like the infamous Cleveland Browns quarterback jersey.
Pace also has struggled with draft day decisions, often trading up and sacrificing picks for players who didn’t exactly pan out. Most notably, Pace gave up two thirds and a fourth to move up to No. 2 to select QB Mitch Trubisky.
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t worth it. It was clear that the 49ers weren’t going to select a QB at No. 2, and taking was Trubisky over fellow QBs Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes was…well, that’s all we have to say about that.
All that after signing quarterback Mike Glennon just mere weeks prior.
You would think that Pace’s quarterback blunders would end there, but yet here we are. In just a few months, the Bears declined Trubisky’s fifth-year option, traded for Nick Foles (of course they gave up a draft pick) and then opted to start Trubisky over Foles despite paying Foles noticeably more.
Sure, Trubisky beat the Lions in the fourth quarter. But not without some tremendous help from Anthony Miller and Allen Robinson on toss-up throws that could have gone either way.
All while Nick Foles makes $12 million to sit on the bench.
Oh, and Cam Newton signed with the Patriots for one million dollars. One. That’s it.
But go ahead and continue to let Trubisky miss his receivers by ten yards and refuse to pay his No. 1 receiver that helped save Trubisky’s ass in Week 1, Pace. You’re doing good, sweetie.
It’s time for the Bears to move on from Pace. He’s sacrificed countless draft picks. He’s remained obsessed with Trubisky while paying Foles, Glennon, and probably Jim McMahon for all we know.
In case you weren’t counting, that’s about strike seven against Pace.
While Pace should be commended for building a championship defense, he’s neglected the offense by refusing to extend Robinson and continuing to give Trubisky countless opportunities.
Here we are in Week 2 and the Bears clearly have discord as a result of Pace’s incompetence. In a year where the Bears could contend for a playoff spot, they already have distractions caused by the GM himself. That’s…not great, Bob.
It’s time to move on from Pace, fix the offense situation and take advantage of the championship window that the Bears could have with the right quarterback and offense.