On Thursday, Ryan Poles made his first significant move as Bears’ general manager as he traded All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for a pair of draft picks. In return for Mack, the Bears received the Chargers’ second-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft and a 2023 sixth-round draft selection. Although many fans are questioning the compensation Chicago received, the salary cap space created by the transaction is more important in the long term.

Bears are attempting to finalize a trade now that will send six-time Pro-Bowl DE Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2022

Poles Made The Difficult, But Smart Decision Of Trading Away Elite Talent

The trading of Mack must have been a difficult decision for Poles to make as the Bears’ defense was projected to have a terrific pass rush had the All-Pro linebacker returned in 2022 to team with Pro Bowl defensive end Robert Quinn. Quinn recorded a franchise record of 18.5 sacks in 2021, with many of those sacks coming after Chicago lost their best defensive player after Week 7. The two Bears’ pass rushers combined for 11 sacks during the first seven games of last season. With new head coach Matt Eberflus, many believed that Chicago could have potentially been competitive in 2022 if Mack and Quinn returned together.

Der Flus’ defense this season was 9th in points allowed, while being 25th in sacks.

He’s walking into a defense with Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack.

High expectations for 2022 are not unreasonable on that side of the ball.

— DaBearsBlog (@dabearsblog) January 29, 2022

Despite the potential value of having multiple top-level pass rushers on defense for the 2022 season, Poles decided that the salary cap space generated would be more valuable. Although Chicago will have over 24 million dollars of dead cap space against them after trading Mack, they cleared up six million for free agency this year, which starts next week. The trade of the All-Pro linebacker, along with additional roster cuts, could enable Poles to sign several mid-tier defensive free agents that could be better suited for Eberflus’ Cover-2 defensive scheme.

The trade also demonstrates that rebuilding the roster with younger players is more important than being potentially competitive this upcoming season. Poles now has two second-round draft selections, which allow for a lot of flexibility in the 2022 NFL Draft. Chicago can package their second-round picks to trade up late in the first round. The Bears can also trade one of the two selections in return for multiple mid-round selections. Before Thursday’s trade, the Bears only had five draft selections for April’s draft, but now they have six and can potentially pick up more.

The #Bears now have picks No. 39 and 48 in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Trading Khalil Mack for draft capital makes sense, and that draft pick will be helpful for the rebuild. Still, I'm shocked they decided to pull the trigger.

— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) March 10, 2022

Trading Mack’s Salary Make The Bears More Competitive In The Long-Term

Mack’s contract has three years remaining and is worth 63.9 million dollars. That is a costly commitment to a player who is 31-years old and has been battling injuries during his four seasons with Chicago. Furthermore, Mack carried no value for a Bears’ team unlikely to compete for a Super Bowl the next three seasons. Poles and Eberflus are now not limited by a large contract that was more of a hindrance than a benefit to the Bears’ offseason plans.

Looking ahead to the 2023 offseason, Chicago freed up over 23 million dollars by trading Mack to Los Angeles. That is key as the Bears were expected to have significant salary-cap space available, even before the trade. The additional salary cap space now allows Poles to pursue any of the top free agents available next offseason. The cap space flexibility heading into next offseason is significant as Chicago’s new general manager will have his roster more defined. Poles can better determine what positions to address via the draft or free agency.

With the Khalil Mack trade, the Chicago Bears are slated to have approx. $121M in cap space in 2023.

One-hundred-and-twenty-one million dollars.

— Laurie Horesh (@LaurieHoresh) March 10, 2022

Next season’s list of free agents is something to keep note of as there are several top-level players expected to be available at positions the Bears will need to improve. Some projected free agents include wide receiver Davante Adams, tight end Mike Gesicki, offensive tackle Orlando Brown, Pro Bowl Cornerback Denzel Ward, and safety Derwin James. The Bears with the cap space created on Thursday could be in a position to sign any of these free agents and potentially more in 2023.

As of now, here are some free agents set to hit the market in 2023:

WR AJ Brown
WR DK Metcalf
WR Davante Adams
WR Deebo Samuel
DE Maxx Crosby
OT Orlando Brown
OT Cam Robinson
ILB Tremaine Edmunds
CB Denzel Ward
CB Jaire Alexander
S Derwin James https://t.co/GgLJbQ1Qxe

— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) March 10, 2022

Mack’s contract being gone also enables Poles to re-sign several young talented players to long-term contracts with the Bears. Linebacker Roquan Smith and running back David Montgomery are entering the final year of their rookie contracts and will be free agents following the 2022 season. Chicago’s new general manager now has the flexibility to sign one, if not both, to large long-term contract extensions. More salary cap space being freed up is important as Smith and Montgomery could be key contributors following a potential two-year rebuild.

Bears fans may believe that Poles should have received more in return for Mack, but the trade wasn’t about getting fair value in return, but more so ridding the team of a limiting contract. Chicago has more resources available to rebuild over the next few seasons, including more draft selections and vital salary cap space. Although Mack’s departure could signal a wasted 2022 season from a record standpoint, the Bears are in a terrific position in the long term.