One of the most incredible things about this miserable 2019 season for the Chicago Bears is how crazy it’s made fans. One example? Some have outright called for the team to trade Khalil Mack because he’s no longer worth the money he’s being paid. He only has 8.5 sacks on the year. Nothing like what he did in 2018. He’s a bum and everybody knows it. Except these people have no idea what they’re inviting.
They don’t understand the true state of the Bears pass rush and what it would be if Mack were actually gone. So here’s a chilling reminder. On November 10th against the Detroit Lions, defensive end Nick Williams delivered his 6th sack of the Year. Since then, a span of six games and counting, the only member of the defensive line or outside linebackers to have even one sack is Mack.
Leonard Floyd? Williams? Bilal Nichols? Aaron Lynch? Isaiah Irving? Roy Robertson-Harris? Eddie Goldman? All have combined for a big fat goose egg in sacks for over a month. The only guys to actually get home were Nick Kwiatkoski, Roquan Smith, and Eddie Jackson off designed blitzes. People keep dogging Mack for not doing enough. Here’s a better question.
Where the hell is everybody else?
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Khalil Mack is literally holding this defense together
One of the biggest failures of the 2019 offseason by GM Ryan Pace was not making a stronger effort to help the pass rush. He gambled on Floyd being ready to turn the corner and didn’t even bother to try upgrading from Lynch. Sure enough, both of them ended up disappointing, leaving Mack to go it alone. That situation was only made worse when Akiem Hicks injured his elbow against Oakland and missed most of the year. That exposed the weakness more than anything.
Now the question becomes what will Pace do about it? Lynch is a free agent in 2020. Floyd will be on the final year of his rookie contract at an expensive $13.22 million. Obviously he can’t let this farce continue for another. One in which Mack will be in his prime. The Bears have an obligation to maximize his presence as much as they possibly can before age begins to do what it does. Great as the man is, he can’t be truly dominant with help.
