Durkin: Brandon Marshall Trade The First Power Move From Ryan Pace

By Dan Durkin--

(CBS) Despite being the league's youngest general manager, Ryan Pace isn't shy about making bold moves to build a program to match his image.

He first broke the Bears' pattern of hiring first-time head coaches and brought in John Fox, the candidate with the most previous head coaching experience on the market. Now, Pace decided to part ways with mercurial wide receiver Brandon Marshall, trading him to the New York Jets on Friday, pending a physical. The deal can't become official until Tuesday, when the new league year begins.

This move creates $3.95 million in free cap space. Given the Bears' long list of needs, undoubtedly the extra space is a beneficial, but the move wasn't about money. The Bears were already in a healthy salary cap situation heading into free agency, which starts Tuesday.

This move signals the desire for the new regime to rid itself of a divisive force off the field. Marshall became the loudest voice, for the wrong reasons, in a locker room short on leadership.

Replacing Marshall's productivity on the field will be a challenge. However, the Bears fortunately have options.

The new cap space gives the Bears flexibility to be active in a talented free-agent market, headlined by players like Randall Cobb, Jeremy Maclin and Torrey Smith. Or perhaps the Bears will now look to a receiver early in the draft and bring in a talented prospect like West Virginia's Kevin White or Alabama's Amari Cooper.

With the move, Pace has now put the pressure on himself to find a capable replacement. Considering what Pace has shown in a short period of time, he won't be intimidated by the pressure.

Dan Durkin covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @djdurkin.