When Ryan Poles took over in January as the new Chicago Bears GM, he reached a realization quickly. While the roster was okay in some areas and might be pushed to maybe compete for the playoffs, the reality is it was nowhere close to Super Bowl content. It was too old, too expensive, and too thin in too many areas. Poles knew he’d have to make some tough decisions to get the Bears back on track. That meant short-term sacrifices. None proved bigger than trading Khalil Mack.
Anyone with eyes can understand that the 31-year old pass rusher will likely end up in the Hall of Fame when he retires. Bears fans were hoping he’d be able to finish that career in Chicago. Sadly it wasn’t meant to be. Poles realized he needed two things with the team going in the wrong direction. Money and draft picks. Dealing Mack provided both. So the GM sent him to the Los Angeles Chargers for 2nd and 6th round picks.
It wasn’t the return a lot of Bears fans hoped for.
Yet it was the best they were likely going to get. Though Mack’s name still carries a ton of weight, his current status made it difficult to generate a viable market. Not only is he into his 30s, but he brings a large contract and is coming off a season where he missed ten games with injury. Ian Wharton of Bleacher Report not only believes the Bears did well in the trade but even called it their smartest move of the offseason.
“Rarely are trades in the NFL considered win-win deals for both sides. However, when the Chicago Bears traded 31-year-old pass-rusher Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for a 2022 second-round pick and 2023 sixth-rounder, it simply made sense. Chicago unloaded Mack’s three-year, $63.9 million deal after he missed 10 games with a foot injury.
However, the Bears are revamping their roster and clearing off the cap sheet as the Justin Fields-era begins. New general manager Ryan Poles did well to get valuable assets for an aging player with a huge contract.”
The key to this decision isn’t just about 2022. Poles also created a window of opportunity in 2023. By moving Mack’s contract off the books, he is absorbing a massive dead cap hit this year. However, most of that will be gone by the next offseason. According to Over The Cap, Chicago is currently projected to have over $127 million in 2023. While that number will come down some over the next few months as more players get signed, it still projects a massive amount of spending money.
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Khalil Mack will have a complicated legacy in Chicago
He was undoubtedly the best pass rusher the Bears have employed in almost a decade. Julius Peppers was the only player comparable to his level of impact. When looking at the trade that brought him to town in 2018, it can best be called a partial success. It did the job of making the Bears defense one of the best in the NFL and getting them to the playoffs twice in three years. However, the ultimate goal was never realized.
The Bears thought Khalil Mack was the last piece to their puzzle. Somebody that could push them to the Super Bowl. It never happened. Not only that, but one could argue Mack never was quite the player he’d been with the Raiders during his final three years in Chicago. He never again cracked double-digit sacks after 2018. Injuries played a part in that. Another reason why Poles felt it was probably best to move on.
One can only wish him the best.
Mack lands in a terrific situation. He gets to play on the same defensive front as Joey Bosa in Los Angeles. He’s back in the AFC West and will play with the best quarterback of his career, Justin Herbert. This may be his last, best chance to chase a ring—something he’s deserved for a long time.
