Talk to several Chicago Bears fans lately and they might make you think Khalil Mack has been nothing short of mediocre the past two years. This despite having far and away the most sacks of any player on the team with 17.5. Not to mention eight forced fumbles and an interception. He’s been the dominant force the team traded for but because he hasn’t had quite as many sacks as people hoped, some see him as a disappointment.
Just don’t count Pro Football Focus among them. Not only does their data say he’s been worth every penny the Bears are paying him, he’s been even better than many realize. So good in fact that Sam Monson wrote up a column of the 50 best players in the league right now. Mack sat comfortably at #6. More importantly? He was the only edge defender to crack the top 10, making him the highest-ranked on the list.
“Mack was once again the highest-graded edge defender in the NFL last season, finishing the campaign with an overall PFF grade of 92.3. Only Mack and T.J. Watt finished the year with PFF grades above 90.0 in run defense and as a pass-rusher.
For Mack, it was his fifth PFF grade above 90.0 in seven years at the NFL level, with the other two seeing him slip only to the level of 86.0. He recorded 59 total pressures, including the playoffs.”
This is another reminder that sacks never tell the whole story.
Mack had nine in 2020, but he also had a ridiculous number of pressures. Just as importantly, he was dominant against the run. Opponents often found little success trying to run the ball in his direction. This is a testament to how committed he is as a football player. A lot of pass rushers are only focused on that part of their job. Get the quarterback on the ground. Mack is not one of those people. He takes every facet of his position seriously.
Still, many will argue vehemently that Mack should not be ranked that high. In part because Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt had 15 sacks last season and 23 tackles for a loss. Based on the most position-defining stats, he had a superior year. Yet PFF seems to think it wasn’t quite as good as the numbers suggest. Bears fans probably won’t argue that too hard.
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Khalil Mack isn’t the problem with that defense
He remains its best player. The question becomes whether others can finally step up and take advantage of his presence. Leonard Floyd failed to do so during their two seasons together. Then Robert Quinn failed to do so last year. Two sacks for $70 million isn’t exactly what the Bears had in mind. They need him to step up this season. If not him then somebody else whether it’s Jeremiah Attaochu or Trevis Gipson.
Part of the reason for this urgency is the state of the Bears’ secondary. They just lost their best cornerback Kyle Fuller due to salary cap problems. Not to mention slot corner Buster Skrine as well. There are a lot of questions about their coverage unit going into 2021. Having an active pass rush would be a big help to easing those fears. As great as Khalil Mack is though?
He can’t do it all by himself.
One piece of good news? Eddie Goldman is returning. Having the stud nose tackle back defending the run should make life easier on Akiem Hicks and Bilal Nichols. Both of whom have a chance to be more productive as interior pass rushers. Mack tended to be at his best when they were able to squeeze the pocket. If this proves to be the case, he has a chance to have yet another great year.
