Eight years after the Bears traded for pass rusher Khalil Mack, Chicago could be doing it all over again. According to The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones, Mack could be making his way back to Chicago before the trade deadline. The Chargers are 0-4 and fading fast. The Bears are 3-1 and could use a boost on the edge.
Mack has a base salary of $8 million in 2026, the last year of his current deal. He will have $5.77 million remaining in pay after this week. The Bears, as Jones notes, currently have approximately $9 million in cap space. Mack, 35, still has gas in the tank. He has three sacks in four games this year, for a team that has yet to enjoy having a late lead that is conducive to the proverbial pinning of the ears back.
If or when the Chargers decide to start moving contracts—they are two games from their bye week—the next question would become compensation for Mack. If he only wants to go to Chicago, that could make it hard to maximize the return. In 2018, the Bears gave up two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and a sixth-round pick to get Mack. It would be a lot less this time around. The trade deadline arrives the Tuesday after Week 9, which is only 31 days away.
With his current team in free fall, veteran edge-rusher Khalil Mack could wind up back in the Windy City, according to The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones. Jones reported a trade between the Los Angeles Chargers and Chicago Bears ‘is something multiple league sources told me makes the most sense if both teams continue on their respective trajectories.’ Two front-office executives suggested Mack could be worth a fifth-round pick. The Bears have the Atlanta Falcons’ fifth-rounder by virtue of the Gervon Dexter Sr. trade.
Mack is on an expiring contract, and the Chargers are already facing long odds of reaching the playoffs thanks to an 0-4 start. Assuming Los Angeles’ outlook doesn’t improve the closer we get to the Nov. 10 trade deadline, general manager Joe Hortiz might as well explore the trade market for the older players headed into free agency. Given his age (35) and contract status, Mack wouldn’t yield a ton of value, but he’d certainly have some suitors. He has three sacks and 14 tackles through four starts. He remains an effective pass-rusher.
The Bears are a top-five unit in yards and points allowed, so they’re not in dire need of defensive upgrades. A Super Bowl contender should never stop looking for ways to improve, though. If a fifth-rounder is all it ultimately takes, Chicago or another playoff hopeful shouldn’t think twice on a Mack trade.
