Ryan Pace stood on the sideline last week, wedged between Fields 3 and 4 at Halas Hall and eagerly trying to get a comprehensive assessment of his team. In action for once. Finally.
In every other year by mid-August, Pace would have a pretty good pulse on things. He would have a general vision for the 53-man roster and a probable pecking order on his office depth chart. He would have hard evidence of the progress the Chicago Bears were making on both sides of the ball and an understanding of the identity his team was forging.
But this year? In an NFL landscape that has been rearranged by the coronavirus pandemic? After an offseason in which most of the Bears' heavy lifting occurred over a computer?
Well, it all has been completely different.
Aug. 17 was the Bears' first true full practice since December. Nearly eight months had passed since Pace last watched his offense run plays against a defense. So much happened since.
With an Amtrak train barreling south past the trees behind the Bears practice fields in Lake Forest, Pace folded his arms and stood near the 15-yard line to begin taking inventory.
He had new high-profile players to assess.
Jimmy Graham, Cole Kmet, Robert Quinn, Tashaun Gipson.
Pace also had to judge how an offseason full of Zoom meetings would translate to the field.
Perhaps, most significant, he had a quarterback competition _ Mitch Trubisky versus Nick Foles _ to help oversee.
Wearing an orange Bears cap and a black neck gaiter pulled over his mouth and nose, Pace watched with a combination of curiosity and confidence. He sensed the energetic vibe. Through his Aviator sunglasses, he continued evaluating what he has described openly as "a championship-caliber team."
"I love the mindset of this team right now," he said earlier this month.
About 20 yards to the general manager's right, the play clock behind the north end zone was ticking down. Into single digits.
It seemed symbolic.
In the blink of an eye, the Bears will be square in the middle of Week 1, readying for their season opener against the Lions and preparing to begin a pivotal 2020 season with so much seemingly at stake. Yet their preparation time is more limited than ever.
Tick. Tock.
Pace, though, sees a group of united players with impressive focus led by a coaching staff whose energy and leadership should provide stability. He's certain the 2020 Bears remain aware of and driven by last season's 8-8 nosedive. And he believes this group has the wiring to attack this uncertain season with purpose and adaptability.
"We have a lot of guys who are really passionate about football and really love what they do and are really self-driven and self-motivated," Pace said. "And I really feel like that type of personality shines in these moments."
Still, after last season's fizzle, after another year of unfulfilled promises and unmet expectations, will the city of Chicago share the preseason excitement this time around? Will the fan base remain tolerant if things remain clunky out of the gates next month?
And what if the Bears stumble again and miss the playoffs for the 12th time in 14 years? Will the outside demands for change become too loud for ownership to ignore?
Pace doesn't shy from the reality that, for many on the outside, this season sets up to be a truly defining one for him.
"Honestly? I look at every season like that," he said. "Every year has to be like that. I don't take this for granted. I know the pressure and the scrutiny that we're under and I don't dodge that. I don't. I recognize it.
"If you're in this, you better embrace that and just have confidence in what you do and remain confident in the people you've surrounded yourself with. And I do."
