Khalil Mack to the Bears may be the hottest trade block chatter of today, but it makes too much sense to simply pass Chicago off as just another suitor for the Chargers‘ edge rusher.
Keeping the nostalgia aside for a second, bringing Mack back is the exact missing piece this 3-1 Bears team needs moving forward. Right now, teams just double Montez Sweat and step up in the pocket because nobody else off the edge can win a 1-on-1. Adding Mack forces offenses to pick their poison, giving Chicago’s elite secondary the relentless pass rush it needs to close out games.
Even the NFL execs feel that Mack to Bears “makes the most sense,” according to The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones.
“I mentioned several names in last week’s column as potential trade candidates,” Jones stated. “Again, it is still early, and I always caution against matching any player to any particular team a month before the deadline.”
“But Khalil Mack to Chicago is something multiple league sources told me makes the most sense if both teams continue on their respective trajectories,” he added.
Bears Could Get Chargers Khalil Mack for a Bargain Price
Based on the trade market value he’s hearing, the Bears, if interested, can get Mack for as little as a fifth-round pick.
The cap space also favors Mack.
“The Bears have roughly $9 million in cap space and a clear need to bolster the pass rush. Mack spent four seasons in Chicago. At 35 years old, he is still in search of his first playoff victory,” Jones wrote.
“One GM and one assistant GM on different teams slotted Mack’s value as worthy of a fifth-round pick. The Bears have one of those, but the Chargers have shown no interest in dealing any player just yet. Only one team in league history has started 0-4 and made the playoffs, and no team has started 0-5 and seen the postseason. How the Bolts fare against Payton’s Broncos could set things in motion.”
Mack signed a 1-year, $18 million fully guaranteed deal to stay with Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers. Running on a rental contract, in other words. He hits free agency after this season. Because the deal was front-loaded with a $10 million signing bonus, the Chargers have already eaten the heaviest chunk of guaranteed cash.
Because LA already paid that $10 million signing bonus, an acquiring team only pays the remaining prorated base salary for the rest of the season. If a deal gets done around Week 5/6, Mack costs his new team only $5.5M to $6.2M on their cap for the rest of the year.
Will the Chargers Trade Khalil Mack?
They most likely will, but most certainly not at the fifth-round price tag.
The winless Chargers are trading away a future Hall of Fame athlete after all. Considering a team throws them a package they can’t say no to, the Chargers won’t be too eager or desperate to trade Mack. He’s a premier trade bait for them.
As a veteran, they can easily get a Day 2 pick, or even demand a Day 1 flyer. They need it as a 4-loss team 4 weeks into the season.
Mack is 35, and with OC Mike McDaniel and Jim Harbaugh reshaping the franchise’s long-term identity, taking a young defensive cornerstone in the 2027 draft makes far more sense than hanging onto a veteran rental.
Chargers’ Khalil Mack to Bears? Why Reunion Suddenly Makes Too Much Sense