The Chicago Bears were close, so close to doubling down on their defensive line before the trade deadline. They, of course, landed superstar Jeffery Simmons, who’s already been a massive difference-maker up front. Yet what might somehow be an even bigger surprise is the trade that didn’t happen. That is the deal to bring Khalil Mack home from the Los Angeles Chargers. For weeks, it felt like a virtual certainty that the trade would happen. It made too much sense. The Chargers are winless. Mack is 35 and on an expiring deal.
All L.A. had to do was face reality and accept a reasonable offer that likely would’ve been a late-round pick. Instead, the deadline passed without anything happening. The only deal Los Angeles made was flipping linebacker Daiyan Henley to the division rival Broncos for 4th and 5th round picks. Utterly bizarre.
So what happened?
Ian Rapoport shared the updated information on NFL Network. What it boiled down to is that the Chargers didn’t want to lose Mack’s leadership presence in the locker room. They felt his influence on younger players was too valuable. Add the fact that he wasn’t pushing to be traded, and it ultimately resulted in nothing happening.
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Khalil Mack has only himself to blame if that’s true.
By the sound of things, the Chargers felt emboldened not to take calls on the pass rusher because he didn’t make a concerted effort to insist they trade him. They almost certainly would have if he put in a request. It sounds like the coaches and front office have considerable respect for him. For whatever reason, Mack didn’t feel compelled to seize the opportunity. Why? Only he knows the answer. Maybe he’s loyal to the Chargers organization. Maybe he just doesn’t want to leave California.
At some point, the dream of a Super Bowl becomes less important to some players. They’d rather finish out their career with the team they’re on, building a legacy worthy of respect. Maybe Khalil Mack has reached that point. There is a possibility he might be contemplating retirement after this season. He’s at that age where it becomes a topic of conversation every offseason. Remember, he has played since 2014. The man has a lot of mileage on his body. Uprooting himself to another team, even one he’s familiar with, may have felt too daunting.
In the end, the Bears chose to stand down.
Adding Mack would’ve been a great story, but there is nothing they could’ve done short of offering more compensation to make a deal happen. There was no way Ryan Poles was doing that for a player past his prime with zero financial control beyond 2026. The edge rusher market in general was quiet this year. After exploring the cornerbacks as well, the Bears concluded that there were no opportunities worth their time. So they closed up shop, trusting that the Simmons addition would be enough to push the defense forward.
All in all, it was a competent showing by Poles. He never let himself get roped into a situation that put the Bears’ future at risk. The Chargers didn’t want to trade Mack. Whether you agree with their reasons or not, that is the simple fact. At some point, you have to accept it and move on to other possibilities. That is what the Bears did. There is no sense in wondering about what could’ve happened.
