The Chicago Bears are off to a great start this season, sitting at 3-1 with a chance to build further momentum on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. If they reach 4-1, it is almost certain to trigger serious efforts by general manager Ryan Poles to find ways to boost the roster even further. As good as the Bears have been to this point, they can always get better. With the trade deadline a few weeks away, it stands to reason there could be at least one player out there who could help them. Enter Khalil Mack.
It sounds made up. A reunion with the former All-Pro has been something many Bears fans have pined for. They never really wanted him to leave. Trading him to Los Angeles was more out of necessity, meant to help jumpstart a rebuild. This past offseason felt like the best chance to make it happen. Instead, Mack opted to re-sign with the Chargers for one year. He is probably regretting that decision now that L.A. is 0-4. One more loss, and most believe the team will hit the eject button, unloading certain players they can’t afford to keep for draft capital. Mack is at the top of the list, and Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports is hearing that Chicago is the team to watch.
A possible Khalil Mack return to Chicago has become very real.
“I mentioned several names in last week’s column as potential trade candidates. Again, it is still early, and I always caution against matching any player to any particular team a month before the deadline. But Khalil Mack to Chicago is something multiple league sources told me makes the most sense if both teams continue on their respective trajectories…
…Mack is on an 0-4 Chargers team and on an expiring contract. He signed a one-year, $18 million deal that includes $8 million in base salary. Trading him this upcoming week would mean a team would need roughly $5 million to $6 million in cap space to take him on…
…One GM and one assistant GM on different teams slotted Mack’s value as worthy of a fifth-round pick. The Bears have one of those, but the Chargers have shown no interest in dealing any player just yet.”
The numbers appear to line up.
Acquiring Mack won’t cripple the Bears’ salary cap, which was always a concern when discussing the idea of signing him in the spring. We also know that Poles often prefers trades where he can land a quality veteran for a late-round pick. You saw it with Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson last year. Those two deals were massive hits. Chicago just regained a 5th round pick from Atlanta thanks to the Gervon Dexter trade before the season began. Flipping that to L.A. for Mack would accomplish the overall objective of bolstering the pass rush.
People will grumble at the idea because he is 35 years old. That may be true, but the numbers don’t lie. Despite the Chargers’ terrible start, Khalil Mack has been a bright spot. Among the 41 edge rushers in the league who’ve logged at least 50% of their team’s snaps this season, he ranks a respectable 15th with 14 total pressures, including 3 sacks. That is more than Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, or Austin Booker. He might not be DPOY Mack anymore, but he’s still a problem.
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The Bears don’t need the old Mack.
Sure, it’d be terrific if they got that guy, but that isn’t necessary. This defense has been pretty good to start the season. What the Bears need is somebody who can add another layer to the pass rush. Make it so the defensive front can apply consistent pressure. Pairing him with Sweat and Booker would allow Odeyingbo to move inside on virtually every passing down, which is where he’s the most dangerous. That rotation would be one of the deepest the Bears have had in years.
As Jones said, much depends on how the Chargers respond in the next couple of weeks. They have two games left before the bye week. The first is at home against the Denver Broncos, who reached the AFC Championship Game last season. The other is on the road against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. If they lose both of those games, you can safely assume Mack will be on the move elsewhere. If he wants a reunion with the Bears, and there are signs this is the case, then it’s an easy decision.
