As the NFL draft approached this past offseason, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace sneaked downstairs to Coach Matt Nagy’s office late one night. Eyes glued to a screen, Nagy examined the route-running and athletic traits of a wide receiver prospect, scribbling his evaluation in a notepad. That was standard. Pace also noticed a second notepad, which was not. Each time Nagy saw a play he liked, he jotted down a reminder in the second notebook to go back for further study, with the aim of incorporating it into the Bears’ playbook.
“I love that,” Pace said. “I just think that that progressive style of thinking is what you need to stay ahead in the league.