The Saints promised change in the offseason. They were hoping Ryan Pace would help with that process.

Thursday they learned Pace will be once of those holes that now must be filled.

The Chicago Bears hired Saints executive Pace to be their general manager. Pace was with New Orleans for the past 14 seasons, helping build the Super Bowl champion squad of 2009 with General Manager Mickey Loomis.

“He has been an outstanding member of the New Orleans Saints organization for the past 15 years,” Loomis said in a statement. “He has progressed successfully from scouting assistant to pro scout to director of pro scouting and finally to director of player personnel, overseeing both college and pro personnel. He has been a key contributor in developing our roster throughout the past years.

“We will miss Ryan and his wife Stephanie, however, we are excited that they will be with an organization like the Chicago Bears, of which we have the highest regard.”

Chicago hopes that Pace, who was the Saints’ director of player personnel the past two years and the director of pro scouting from 2007-2012, will be able to turn around a franchise that has missed the playoffs all but once in the last eight years.

Pace first joined the Saints in 2001, assisting in the coordination of all operations on game days, training camp and with the Louisiana Superdome.

The Bears were 5-11 last year leading to the firing of head coach Marc Trestman and General Manager Phil Emery.

Chicago has been in the playoffs four times since 1995.

Pace, an Eastern Illinois graduate like Saints head coach Sean Payton, will first have to fill the vacant head coaching job in Chicago.

One of the talked about candidates also has ties to Eastern Illinois, Mike Shanahan, but the Bears have only interviewed Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Denver offensive coordinator Adam Gase.

The Saints seemed to know this day was coming as Loomis addressed the possibility of losing Pace at his final news conference of the season.

“We would hate to lose him, but he is ready for a GM job,” Loomis said. “He’s talented. I would expect to lose him at some point.”

Payton felt the same way, also talking about Pace at his season-ending news conference.

“He is really good at what he does,” Payton said. “He’s a big part of what we do. Guys like him, they are talented.

“He’s very talented and I know he has been promoted here a few times, and deservedly so. I get fired up when he comes to see me first thing this morning. His mind is already racing. I know he is all in.”

After the coaching issue is settled, Pace will have to deal with that of quarterback Jay Cutler, who Chicago has committed big money to but gotten little back for its bucks.

As for the Saints, there will be plenty of work for the front office after a 7-9 season.

New Orleans will just have to do it without Pace.

(MGNonline)