Pace met with veteran coach Vic Fangio, who served as Bears defensive coordinator under John Fox the past three seasons. Fangio helped transform a unit that had ranked 30th in the NFL in total yards allowed the year before he arrived into a defense that finished 10th in 2017 despite losing several key players throughout the season.
In Fangio's first two seasons with the Bears, the defense ranked 14th in 2015 and 15th in 2016.
Fangio has spent 31 seasons as an NFL coach, including 18 as a defensive coordinator with the Panthers (1995-98), Colts (1999-2001), Texans (2002-05), 49ers (2011-14) and Bears.