INDIANAPOLIS — Although the new Chicago Bears leadership duo of coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace generally play it close to the vest when revealing plans about the future, they did confirm one highly anticipated change.

The team that essentially invented the middle linebacker position in a 4-3 defense with Bill George, then had players of legendary status there with Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher, will scrap the traditional look for a 3-4.

Although Fox’s background is with the 4-3, the switch was anticipated since the hiring of 3-4 proponent Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator and Clint Hurtt as an outside linebackers coach — a position the Bears didn’t have in their 4-3.

“That’s the system Vic Fangio comes from, so we’ve had a lot of internal discussions about that, and really you’re in your base 3-4 a certain percentage of the time but a lot of times you’re in multiple defensive packages on third down,” Pace said. “So we’ll be base 3-4, that’s accurate and that’s what Vic’s comfortable with.

“The best coaches, they find ways to maximize their players’ skill sets. I know Vic’s going to do that. So our base will be 3-4, but we’ll be in multiple schemes.”

Fox said the defense would be a 3-4 “terminology-wise.”

“I think sometimes a lot is made, particularly on the outside, about the 3-4 and the 4-3,” Fox said. “I mean, generally the spacings are very similar.

“Like all coaching of any defense, you know, it’s really putting your players in the best positions to have them have success.”

Whether the Bears have much 3-4 talent at all remains an issue being closely analyzed.

“Again, without being on the grass, it’s really hard for me to stand up here and say much more than that,” Fox said.

One big issue is whether the defense has someone who can be a nose tackle if the team doesn’t draft or sign a player for the spot. Second-year defensive lineman Ego Ferguson possibly could make the conversion to being a huge interior presence who consumes blocks in a two-gap scheme so others can make plays. Size-wise, he doesn’t have far to go.

However, Pace suggested last year’s three-technique defensive tackle, Jeremiah Ratliff, might be able to fill the role.

“I think there’s a couple guys that can do it,” Pace said. “One of them has done it before in Dallas (Ratliff). It doesn’t have to be this big 350-pound space-eater. You can use them in a variety of ways.”

The other huge difference up front would be finding edge-rushing linebackers and the other defensive linemen. The Bears already had one 3-4 linebacker type miscast as a 4-3 end or linebacker with Shea McClellin, although he showed nothing so far to indicate he can play 3-4 in the NFL.

Defensive ends Lamarr Houston and Willie Young were acquired specifically last year as 4-3 ends, Houston as the run-stopper on the left side and Young as a pass-rush specialist. Then both sustained season-ending injuries, and now the issue is whether they can become pass rushers at linebacker.

“We’ll line them both up there; what they become is up to them,” Fox said. “In Willie’s case, he’s coming off an Achilles surgery. You know, same thing with Lamarr Houston, he’s coming off an ACL.

“You know, I had two guys a year ago (in Denver), Chris Harris and Von Miller were coming off ACLs and they both had Pro Bowl seasons. So again, that’s all part of the process (of) getting guys healthy, medically and getting them ready to play. We’re working on that as we speak daily.”

Jared Allen was also acquired as a 4-3 edge rusher, and there are questions about whether he could be converted to a 3-4 pass rushing linebacker at age 33. Then again, the Packers did it with Julius Peppers last year at age 34.

“I haven’t seen that, so it’d be hard for me to evaluate until we get him out there,” Fox said. “But he’s a good football player, he’s got good instincts, so my experience has been that works in a two-point or a three-point stance.”

Pace pointed out that finding pass-rushing linebackers in the draft is an easier option.

“A lot of times it opens it up for you because there’s a lot of undersized defensive ends in college that can stand up and play outside linebacker in the 3-4,” Pace said.

While Pace and Fox were hardly open about their feelings regarding Jay Cutler’s future in Chicago, the sudden admission regarding the 3-4 seems curious.

It is possible they found this a good time to make the change known because they have plenty of 4-3 style talent they would like to unload on other teams for extra draft picks. However, with Cutler, they don’t have to make a commitment or cut him until March 10, when he would collect an additional bonus.

Regardless, there are plenty of moves that have to be made because of the drastic change of direction the team is making on defense.

The Bears don’t have a minicamp scheduled until the week leading up to the draft, so there will be plenty of internal meetings and decisions based off film in the coming weeks.

“There’s a lot to figure out,” Fox said.