Bears Head Coaching Search: Ryan Pace Has a Lot of Work Ahead

Just a couple of things to drop in and think about on a Sunday morning:

• For all the hoopla surrounding the hire of Ryan Pace, and much of it may well be well deserved (this isn't meant to be read negatively), we really have no idea what he's looking for in his staff positions. When Phil Emery fired Lovie Smith, it was clear from step one they would be looking for an offensive head coach to alter the team dynamic and make the most of a defense that was aging - a move to win in the short term, which didn't pan out for a number of reasons. The way the team is now, any coaching hire can be made and be effective, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him go in any direction. The important thing is, this is Ryan Pace's gig, and he's got a whole blank canvas to work with.
• But for as much work as Pace has ahead of him, Phil Emery did leave him a couple future building blocks. Sam went over the team's young building blocks in one of his earlier posts, and I don't disagree with much of what he said, but you can do a lot worse than starting with Alshon Jeffery, Kyle Long, Stephen Paea, and hopefully Kyle Fuller and Christian Jones. That being said, Emery's first draft is down to Jeffery and Shea McClellin, and Jon Bostic and Khaseem Greene have to show some things in year three.
• A couple (nine) words on Jay Cutler: Pace didn't tip his hand, nor should he have.
• The first head coaching domino is apparently ready to fall, as Rex Ryan appears headed to the Buffalo Bills. This is notable for a couple reasons: Ryan not being on the Bears' radar, and a former Bears' coach being on his radar:

Trestman or Roman RT @KimJonesSports: DC Dennis Thurman is expected to join Bills. Rex expected to hire an OC who was not on staff with NYJ.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2015

• If Marc Trestman joins Rex Ryan, sorry in advance, Buffalo. But maybe there's nothing to worry about there:

#Bills also working on hiring Greg Roman as offensive coordinator, I am told, but deal not done.

— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) January 11, 2015

• As far as the Bears' search goes, I would be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued by Teryl Austin - though my offensive preference would be Gary Kubiak (yes, I know his lack of desire to interview with anybody, currently, though with the Ravens' ejection from the playoffs by a four-man offensive line, that may change), and I like the thought of Todd Bowles, I'm not against Austin, who helmed one of the league's best defenses in the regular season in Jim Schwartz's first year removed from the Lions.