The Chicago Bears are looking like one of the better teams in the NFL through the first four weeks of the season, which should position them as buyers ahead of the November 10 trade deadline if head coach Ben Johnson feels he can/should be improved in any meaningful way.
Chicago’s defense has been better than fine over the past two weeks, surrendering just 10 points per game to the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets in two convincing wins in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively. The Bears are in a six-way tie for eighth-place in sacks league-wide with 10 of them through four games.
Dayo Odeyingbo leads the team with three sacks, while Montez Sweat and pass-rush specialist Austin Booker each have two through four games. The secondary is getting healthier and the linebacker room has held up nicely so far, but bigger tests against better offenses are coming.
One option to solidify the pass rush as Chicago transitions into the middle of the regular season is a reunion with former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack who is currently mired on a winless Los Angeles Chargers team and could offer the Bears strong production at significant value.
Bears Can Pursue Khalil Mack Trade at Value Ahead of NFL Deadline
Mack is on one-year contract worth $18 million, but if the Bears were to deal for him now the cost would be essentially one-third of that total.
New Team Acquires 2026: $6.22M (Week 5+)
#Chargers Dead Cap 2026: $11.78MMack has 3 sacks & 14 tackles thru 4 games this season, after posting 5.5 sacks/32 tackles in LA last year.
Mock It: t.co/BOxbCJF65S
“Trading ED Khalil Mack. New Team Acquires 2026: $6.22M (Week 5+). #Chargers Dead Cap 2026: $11.78M,” the Spotrac X account posted. “Mack has 3 sacks & 14 tackles thru 4 games this season, after posting 5.5 sacks/32 tackles in LA last year.”
Mack spent four years in Chicago between 2018-21, during which he made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. The edge-rusher also finished second in DPOY voting while with the Bears in 2018.
Bears Should Pounce on Khalil Mack Trade if Cost Proves Day 3 Draft Pick
Mack is now a 13-year NFL veteran and playing at the age of 35. He is a nine-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro with the Hall of Fame almost certainly in his future.
The Chargers appear to be going nowhere fast, at least this season, and Mack returned on just a one-year deal in 2026. Considering L.A.’s schedule, it makes little sense for the team to keep Mack when it can probably land a decent Day 3 draft pick for him in return.
Meanwhile, Chicago could bring back a former fan favorite who still has plenty of juice to add to a defense that will probably have call for the squeeze at some point during the war of attrition that is the NFL season.
A fifth-round draft pick, or the like, could make plenty of sense for the Bears if parting with it means adding the likes of Mack to a defensive unit that is currently out-performing expectations.
Bears Trade Pitch Reunites Chicago With $18 Million Edge-Rusher at Value