Return of the Mack?
For months, now, Chicago Bears fans have been dreaming of a reunion with pass rusher Khalil Mack. The guy who once sent shockwaves through the city of Chicago, arriving in the thick of his prime and transforming the Bears' defense, could now make his return after four and a half years with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Sunday morning, as Week 7 NFL action was getting set to kick off, ESPN's Adam Schefter took some time to speak on a few key trade candidates as the November 10 deadline approaches.
In his segment on Mack, he ended it with these words:
"You have to wonder if a team like the Chicago Bears will keep calling"
I'm sorry, did I hear that correctly?
Did Schefter use the words "keep calling?"
As in, the Bears have already been calling?
It appears this dream is not only alive, but very, very close to becoming a reality for Bears fans.
Khalil Mack would be returning to the Bears at just the right time
The Bears' defense has had some good moments and some forgettable ones, through seven weeks. Currently sitting at 19.0 sacks, though, they've shown an ability to rush the passer that most fans likely didn't see coming.
Of course, much of the question marks around this unit currently lie in the secondary, where names like Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson have become clear weak links.
Whether or not Ryan Poles adds anybody to the secondary, the fact is, Chicago has still been looking for additional pass rush help. Somehow, they've been able to continue playing solid defense without both Montez Sweat (suspension) and Dayo Odeyingbo (injury).
And, nothing helps a struggling secondary like a formidable pass rush. The less time the quarterback has to throw, the less time Johnson and Stevenson have to stick with their receivers -- and the more likely we are to see some errant throws from the opposition.
Chicago has won both games since Caleb Williams returned from injury, and the defense has stepped up in big moments. Remember, they're still hoping to see star safety Coby Bryant come back at some point this year and in time for a playoff run.
There's an opportunity for this defense to get much, much better. While they've had some strong moments, Chicago is still prone to giving up big plays. Mack's presence would only help alleviate that.
To start the season, Mack had 3.0 sacks in his first four games. Since then, he's sort of come down to earth. But, the Chargers are also an abysmal team at the moment. Take that into consideration.
Mack's return would be a full-circle moment for the Bears
Back in March of 2022, the Bears opted to trade Mack to the Chargers in exchange for second and sixth-round picks.
Chicago was at a point in time where they needed the cap relief as much as they needed to rid the roster of aging players. Ryan Poles had his work cut out for him as he took over in his first year as general manager.
Sadly, one of the first major moves he had to make was to trade Mack, which he did.
It was a necessary move at the time. Fans knew it was coming, but it didn't make it any better.
Mack was someone near and dear to the fan base's heart. When he came in back before the 2018 season kicked off, Mack's presence, energy and play making gave the team a boost it so desperately needed. I would even go out on a limb and say that, without Mack, that 2018 Bears team doesn't even make the playoffs.
He changed it all.
Now, four years later, he's on a team that's going nowhere fast. Meanwhile, the Bears are in a completely different universe.
With one of the best young quarterbacks in the league and an offense littered with weapons, this team looks so much different on that side of the ball.
But, Ben Johnson is the secret sauce. We don't even have to go into comparing Johnson and Matt Nagy. That'd be a laughable conversation.
Mack coming back to Chicago, now, would be poetic.
He exited when Chicago was in a difficult spot, but could come back to a true title contender.
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