The Chicago Bears stunned plenty of fans when they decided to trade Khalil Mack for a second-round pick and a future sixth. Considering what they gave up for Mack, it does not feel as good, but there are plenty of reasons why the compensation is the way it is and why the Chicago Bears had to do what they did.
3. Chicago Bears save money in the short and long term with Khalil Mack trade
Depending on how you view the trade will be how you phrase the trade. If you like it you will say that they saved $6M against the cap. If you hate it, you will say that they have $24M of dead cap space that can go to no one. Both are true.
Still, while the Chicago Bears only saved $6M out of the $30M total that they are paying Mack, they are now set to get $28M off of their books in 2023. That is a huge saving, and one that they could not get had they held onto him.
Even if they kept him this year then moved on, they would then save just $16M in 2023, and likely would have gotten worse trade compensation. The Chicago Bears see 2022 as their first year with a head coach and GM pairing. It is a transition year.
In 2023 they now have a lot more cap space, and that presents a stronger possibility to go all-in on the roster at that point.
The issue with the Khalil Mack contract was that it was restructured twice, which meant pushing a lot of money onto the back end of his deal. It was done in an attempt to win now, but the consequences were always that at some point the team would have to eat a big hit. The Chicago Bears are deciding to eat that big hit this year, and get a draft pick out of it rather than be forced with a tougher decision when they feel that their roster is in a better spot.
2. Chicago Bears needed draft capital
If you have done a mock draft for the Chicago Bears recently you know that they are not very fun. That is because the team has just a second and third-round pick before two fifths and a sixth. That essentially meant that they could add two young possible starters, and then three depth players from the draft.
Considering most teams have seven picks, this is not a great start for a team that claims they want to build through the draft. Ryan Poles was taught to build through the draft but he was staring down the reality that to fill his roster, he would have to go for a plethora of free agents.
Ryan Pace left the roster with a lot of holes and little cap space or draft capital to fill it. The easiest way to get cap space and draft capital is to trade one of your better players for as high of a draft pick as possible.
A second-round pick is not great, but fans have to remember that the Bears are getting off $34M in cap space over the next two seasons. A majority of that comes in 2023, but 2023 will also be when their two second-round picks hit year two with new coaching.
Ryan Pace traded up traded future picks, and often did not worry about when it could catch up to him. That is what got him in this mess, and Ryan Poles is stopping the train by adding draft picks and cutting costs. Do not be surprised if he also uses one of his second-round picks to trade back and add a few more young assets.
1. Khalil Mack production was down
Chicago Bears fans have to remember that while they love Mack, and when he is at his best, no one can stop him, that best was showing less and less over the past couple of seasons. When he arrived in 2018 he put up 12.5 sacks, which completed four straight years of 10 or more.
Over the past three seasons, he has not hit 10 in any. He went from nine down to 8.5, and then finished with six last season. Of course, injuries had to do with it, but the slow decline in production was apparent.
With that in mind, it is typical that pass rushers peak from 25-30. Some of the best can get into their mid-30s, but for a position that features such athleticism, it is a young man’s game.
Mack is going to be 31 this season. There is a good chance that in the next two years or so we see Mack at his peak, but it is unlikely to go much further. When you add in the injury issues this season, you think that the Chicago Bears new front office realized that it is better to be too early than too late.
That is why the team is not getting a higher pick back for Mack. His salary is bloated, his production is down, and his age is working against him. From the Chicago Bears’ perspective they needed to find a way to clear space, and now have a window wide open for 2023.
They also have more draft capital and turn that into even more draft capital, which can reduce how much they spend this offseason. Overall, the move has eyes set on 2023 with 2022 being a year of feeling things out. That is likely the right approach, and while it is unfortunate, the Chicago Bears timeline now does not quite add up with the timeline of Khalil Mack.