GM Ryan Poles has repeatedly said he wants to build the Chicago Bears through the draft. That requires picks. Currently, he doesn’t have a lot—just five total as of this moment. One has to imagine he’d be open to the idea of acquiring more. The only way he can do that is via trades. Either by moving down from his current pick slots in the 2022 draft or by making players on the roster available. This seems to have left teams around the NFL wondering if Khalil Mack is available.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune revealed this in his recent column. There is a buzz in Indianapolis around the 31-year old former Pro Bowler. Multiple reasons exist for the Bears to consider it too. Mack still has plenty of value despite his age, he carries a heavy contract the team may want to unload, and some wonder how well he will handle the switch to 4-3 defensive end when he’s played most of his career as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
“The name some folks in town are wondering about is Khalil Mack, the 31-year-old edge rusher who had six sacks in seven games last season before heading to the injured reserve list.”
That last part shouldn’t be a concern.
Mack played arguably his two best seasons in 2015 and 2016 as a defensive end under Jack Del Rio in Oakland. No way new head coach Matt Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams are worried about that. This is purely a business-related decision were it to happen. The idea is that the Bears would sacrifice a single great player who is aging to use the acquired money and picks to bolster the rest of the roster. It comes down to what they can get. This depends on how flexible they are with the contract.
“What would the market be for Mack? A second-rounder with another late-round pick the teams could haggle over was what an NFC executive suggested at the end of the season. An AFC executive suggested using the Von Miller trade as a template. The Denver Broncos traded Miller to the Los Angeles Rams for second and third-round picks in 2022. The Broncos also paid down Miller’s contract to make the deal happen, absorbing $9 million of the remaining $9.7 million of his 2021 salary to facilitate the trade.
Mack has a 2022 base salary of $12.05 million and has a $5.5 million roster bonus due March 18. The AFC executive said if the Bears paid the bonus so an acquiring team was on the hook for only the base salary, it could potentially make dealing Mack easier and put the Bears in a situation in which they could get a return similar to what the Broncos received.”
Miller was 32-years old when the trade happened.
There is no question it is difficult to unload such a good player. At the same time, the Bears would still have a capable enough pass rush without him. Robert Quinn had 19 sacks last season. Ascending youngster Trevis Gipson had seven. Those two can make a solid tandem at the defensive end, and the incoming 2022 draft class is rich in pass rush prospects. Reliable depth options will be available in free agency as well.
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Trading Khalil Mack would be a long-term commitment
Poles would send a clear message that he doesn’t believe the Bears are in a position to compete for the playoffs next season. It would also open the door to do something they should’ve done from the start. That is invest more resources in Justin Fields. Find better wide receivers, offensive linemen, and tight ends. He is the key to their future success. The defense may take a dip, but the sacrifice would be worth it if it means the young quarterback blossoms.
None of this is an indictment on Khalil Mack himself. He’s been an excellent player since the Bears acquired him in 2018. Nobody would dispute they won that trade with the Raiders. Like most things in the NFL, change is inevitable. Keeping him the rest of his career would be nice, but such things are rare. This team needs to get younger and deep. Sacrificing Mack for more cap space and draft picks would accomplish this goal.
