Former Bears GM Moving Back into Personnel Prominence

Former Bears GM Ryan Pace is moving on up in the personnel world again.

Pace has been promoted from scouting duties as senior personnel executive to Falcons director of player personnel, according to a report by CBS Sports. It's a title Pace held for the New Orleans Saints in 2013-14.

The Falcons had promoted former director of player personnel Kyle Smith to assistant general manager.

Since Pace's arrival, Atlanta has signed former Bears Damiere Byrd, Nick Kwiatkoski, Eddie Goldman and Germain Ifedi, among others. It had led to jokes about Atlanta being Chicago South last year.

Pace will always be known in Chicago for trading up one spot to draft Mitchell Trubisky when Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were there to be drafted. He traded for Khalil Mack and also traded up to draft Justin Fields. He also hired both John Fox and Matt Nagy a coaches.

In seven years under Pace, the Bears made the playoffs twice, won the NFC North in 2018 and were 48-65.

Atlanta has finished 7-10 each of the last two seasons.