Getting Jeffery Simmons was a massive surprise because nobody expected it. There had been no rumors or reports from credible sources indicating such a thing. Then you have the Khalil Mack situation. Multiple high-ranking insiders openly reported that the 35-year-old pass rusher was the most obvious trade target for the spiraling Los Angeles Chargers, and the Chicago Bears were the team to watch. Yet with just five days until the deadline, nothing has happened. Did the Bears abandon the pursuit?
No, the details, if true, are considerably more devious than that. Retired NFL defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko revealed what’s going on in Los Angeles on Twitter (X). Keep in mind he played for the organization between 2020 and 2022. He’s likely to have people in the building he knows. Based on what he’s heard, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz is basically holding Mack and other players hostage. There is a feeling he will be fired after this season, and he doesn’t want to set up his replacement with extra assets.
The Bears have already made an offer for Mack: a 6th-round pick in 2027. L.A. remains resistant to the idea, believing that, at 0-7, they can still rescue the season.
Khalil Mack deserves way better than such treatment.
It is impossible to fathom what planet the Chargers’ decision-makers are living on. Right now, the AFC has 10 teams with at least a 4-4 record this season. Los Angeles would need four of them to completely implode down the stretch while also winning 9 of their remaining 10 games. Among the opponents of those games are the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, and San Francisco 49ers. There are zero indications that this team is remotely equipped to do anything of the sort.
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They need to accept reality and do right by some of their veterans. Khalil Mack has been a loyal soldier for them since 2022, delivering some of his best work. Holding him in place out of petty stubbornness is bad business and lacks basic human decency. It is little wonder you don’t hear many former players singing the Chargers organization’s praises. It’s always had a bit of a dubious reputation. Poor player treatment is certainly among those mentioned.
The Bears are essentially stuck.
They’ve set a price they feel is fair for Mack. He’s 35 on an expiring deal and has seen his production dip over the past month. Going any higher would be too risky. They can’t force the Chargers to see reason. All signs indicate that general manager Ryan Poles has stayed in contact, but Hortiz remains fixed on his position. Unless a stronger offer is made, Mack and everybody else won’t be traded. It would explain the subtle indications that the Bears are looking at other edge options on the market, as well as cornerbacks.
One can only feel bad for Mack. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like this. A trade back to Chicago would’ve given him a chance to finish the journey he started in 2018, chasing a Super Bowl. Accomplishing that would have put the cap on one of the greatest final chapters of a career in NFL history. Instead, he’s left in football hell, playing for a vastly underachieving franchise.
