Bears Ex Ryan Pace Rejoins GM Terry Fontenot In Falcons Front Office

After being fired by the Chicago Bears, Ryan Pace heads back to work for Terry Fontenot and the Falcons

Ryan Pace might not be a general manager any longer, but he will be a member of a front office in 2022. 

The Atlanta Falcons have added Pace their personnel department, as he will be a senior personnel executive on GM Terry Fontenot's staff, alongside Ruston Webster and Phil Emery. 

Pace served as the Bears general manager from 2015-21. He was fired along with coach Matt Nagy after the team finished 6-11 in 2021 and failed to make the postseason with rookie quarterback Justin Fields. 

Pace has ties with Fontenot as the two worked together the New Orleans Saints. Pace spent 15 years with the Saints, including 13 working with Fontenot. Fontenot remained there until hired by Atlanta in the 2021 offseason. 

During his tenure as the Bears general manager, Pace watched Chicago finish 48-65 with a pair of postseason appearances in 2018 and 2020. He was named Executive of the Year by Sporting News in 2018, when the Bears made the postseason for the first time since 2010

The Falcons currently own the No. 8 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft after finishing 7-10 under Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith. Last season, Atlanta used its first selection in the new regime on do-it-all tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 pick. 

Pitts impressed as the new go-to weapon of the offense for quarterback Matt Ryan. He finished with 68 catches for 1,026 yards and a touchdown while averaging 15.1 yards per receptions. 

The Falcons enter the offseason $7 million over the cap. Atlanta has currently eight picks in the 2022 NFL Draft as of this time.