Hub Arkush: If change at the top is coming, let's discuss names Bears could pursue

Much like Chairman George McCaskey, I have not made up my mind yet what I think the best course of action is to fix the Chicago Bears and whether or not to retain general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy.

I am leaning one way, but I don’t have an opinion to offer yet, particularly because the next three or four weeks could strongly inform and possibly even change it.

But if change is coming, the focus clearly has to be on Pace first.

As long as he is not involved in the decision on the Bears' top football guy, it doesn’t really matter whether or not Ted Phillips stays or goes as president and CEO – but realize if he’s fired, he will need to be replaced by two people. The Bears will still need a top football guy, and then someone to run the business side of the operation, something, which by all appearances, Phillips has done well.

The top football guy in the organization, whether that remains Pace or someone new, should then make the decision on Nagy or change.

As for Pace’s future, I have always followed a rule of not firing people unless I’m sure I can get someone better. With that said, I have contacted sources across the National Football league to put together my list of the top general manager candidates available with my top five listed in order followed by a number of contenders.

Whether or not any of these guys would be better than Pace is obviously not guaranteed, but all offer excellent resumes.

1. Rick Smith: Former Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager of the Houston Texans. He is not someone else's failed GM, Smith in fact was wildly successful in the draft, building the Texans into a perennial contender before resigning in 2017 due to a serious family illness. He also has two rings as an assistant coach with the Denver Broncos.

2. Omar Khan: Vice President of Football and Business Administration of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Khan is regarded by many as a secret weapon behind the tremendous success of Steelers VP and GM Kevin Colbert and could replace Phillips and Pace with a VP Football Operations and GM title, and then hiring a Director of Player Personnel to oversee Pro and College Scouting Directors. The McCaskey family is close with the Rooneys.

3. Jeff Ireland: Assistant General Manager and College Scouting Director of the New Orleans Saints. Ireland was hired by Bill Parcells and was the GM of the Dolphins from 2008-2013. He started strong but things soured after Parcells left and his handling of a pre-draft interview with Dez Bryant and the Jonathan Martin-Richie Incognito situation were controversial. But Ireland is the grandson of legendary Bears scout Jim Parmer, grew up around Papa Bear and the McCaskey family. Ireland has proven to be an excellent evaluator of talent.

4. George Paton: Vice President of Player Personnel and Assistant General Manager of the Minnesota Vikings. Paton has been GM Rick Spielman's right-hand man ever since the two got their front office starts with the Bears in the late '90's. Several sources report Paton, who was a finalist for the 49ers job before John Lynch was hired, has been ready for a number of years, but he has been particular about which jobs he might consider.

Tied 5. John Dorsey: Former General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns, and a long time Green Bay Packers scout. Dorsey is highly controversial. The Chiefs fired him after four seasons and building what would become their Super Bowl team and just months after he traded up to 10th in the draft to take Patrick Mahomes ahead of Deshaun Watson. He was then hired six months later by the Browns but fired just two years later after acquiring most of the talent on the currently 9-3 Browns. He is an outstanding talent evaluator, but obviously comes with some very rough edges.

Tied 5. Reggie McKenzie: Former General Manager of the Oakland Raiders. Like Dorsey, McKenzie grew up in the business in Ron Wolfe's Green Bay Packers front office, and while his tenure as GM of the Raiders from 2012-2018 was neither a failure or completely successful, he was fired due to the arrival of Jon Gruden and not necessarily based on his performance. McKenzie remains highly regarded around the league.

• These candidates are top talent evaluators from around the NFL who are seeking their first general manager or top football executive jobs and would be very similar hires to Ryan Pace’s six years ago:

Lake Dawson: Buffalo Bills, Assistant Director College Scouting

Nick Caserio: New England Patriots, Director of Player Personnel

Joe Hortiz: Baltimore Ravens, Director of Player Personnel

Scott Fitterer: Seattle Seahawks, Vice President Football Operations

Trent Kirchner: Seattle Seahawks, Vice President Player Personnel