NFL's most improved team? Bears reaping benefits of GM Ryan Pace's risks

Late in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals in Week 3, Bears fans were holding their breath as Chicago clung to a 16-14 advantage over Arizona after rallying from a 14-0 deficit. The Bears, who had taken the lead on a 43-yard Cody Parkey field goal with 4:31 left in the game, had lost their last 22 games when behind entering the fourth quarter.

Then defensive coordinator Vic Fangio sent Sherrick McManis on a blitz, and the cornerback sacked Josh Rosen to preserve the victory, placing the 2-1 Bears at the top of the NFC North standings.

Though it’s still early in the 2018 season, Chicago looks like the most improved team in the NFL, and much of its success can be traced back to general manager Ryan Pace’s moves over the last couple years.

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Coming off a 5-11 season last year, the Bears now boast back-to-back wins over the Seahawks and Cardinals, and they are a dropped Kyle Fuller interception against the Packers from being 3-0. It's a credit to new coach Matt Nagy and the team for rebounding from that heartbreaking, season-opening loss in Green Bay.

Nagy, an Andy Reid disciple, still has a long way to go with an offense that has scored only four touchdowns in three games and ranks 26th in the NFL. Second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has a 77.8 rating with two touchdown passes and three interceptions.

The Bears’ defense, though, is leading the franchise's revival and bringing back the famous "Monsters of the Midway" monicker.

So far, it appears Pace pulled off one of the biggest heists in NFL history when he acquired pass-rusher Khalil Mack from the Raiders for a load of draft picks, including first-round selections over the next two years. Mack leads the league in sacks (4) and forced fumbles (3) after missing the entire preseason with his contract impasse in Oakland.

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The Mack move was icing on the cake for a unit that now ranks fifth in total defense, leads the league with 14 sacks and is tied for third with five interceptions.

Nobody in Chicago is upset with what Pace gave up, including a record-breaking contract extension, to get the 27-year-old phenom and three-time Pro Bowler. As a former GM, I would make that deal in a heartbeat for a Hall of Fame-caliber pass-rusher to chase QBs in a passing league.

Since the Mack trade and with the Bears’ strong start to the season, the perception of Pace in the minds of Chicago media and fans has changed dramatically. The GM managed a 14-34 record over his first three seasons and was on the hot seat, but Bears lead owner/chairman George McCaskey and team president Ted Phillips opted to stick with Pace and fire veteran coach John Fox. They brought in the 40-year-old Nagy, who had never been a college or NFL head coach.

The moves look smart at this juncture.

McCaskey and Phillips felt Pace had improved the team's talent level through astute free-agent acquisitions like leading tackler Danny Trevathan in 2016 and corner Prince Amukamara in 2017, plus talented young draftees like two-time 1,000-yard rusher Jordan Howard, the versatile Tarik Cohen and playmaking safety Eddie Jackson.

This year, Pace added three key free agents who are now starting and giving Trubisky better weapons: wide receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel and tight end Trey Burton. Pace also added solid contributors in Parkey and linebacker Roquan Smith, Chicago’s first pick in the draft who has 12 tackles and one sack thus far as his playing time increases.

Above all, Pace has shown he's not afraid to make bold moves. It goes beyond the Mack trade, which was a gift from the now 0-3 Raiders, who clearly misjudged his value to their team. Pace also matched Green Bay's $14 million-per-year offer sheet on Fuller in March after Chicago had placed the transition tag on the cornerback.

Pace took his biggest risk in drafting Trubisky with the second overall pick in 2017 after the QB had only been a starter for one season at North Carolina. It was an eye-opener for many draft analysts when he was selected over fellow first-rounders Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.

There's still plenty of second-guessing on the Trubisky pick, especially given Mahomes' incredible start to this season for the unbeaten Chiefs and Watson's great start last year for the Texans before his ACL injury. But these are second-year players. It's only fair to let things play out for a few more seasons. We also must factor in the receiving-corps advantages Mahomes and Watson have had.

Nagy and Pace know more challenges are ahead. They start Sunday when Tampa Bay brings the league's No. 1 offense to Soldier Field. Also coming are more big matchups in a division that, going into the season, looked like a battle between the defending-champion Vikings and the Packers. Now all four teams look competitive.

For Chicagoans, it's been 33 years since the beloved 1985 Bears won the Super Bowl. The fact that the team has not made the playoffs since 2010 makes fans restless in a city used to winning — think Michael Jordan's Bulls, the Blackhawks' recent Stanley Cup run and the Cubs’ historic title two years ago.

Perhaps Mack and Co. can lead this defense to a place in Chicago lore alongside the Papa Bear George Halas-led champs of 1963 and the Hall of Famer-loaded '85 team.

As for the team as a whole and its title chances in the next few years, everybody knows the key. The Bears need Trubisky to develop into a top-flight quarterback.

Jeff Diamond is a former president of the Titans and former vice president/general manager of the Vikings. He was selected NFL Executive of the Year in 1998. Diamond is currently a business and sports consultant who also does broadcast and online media work. He makes speaking appearances to corporate/civic groups and college classes on Negotiation and Sports Business/Sports Management. He is the former chairman and CEO of The Ingram Group. Follow Jeff on Twitter: @jeffdiamondNFL.

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