As the Chicago Bears look to add a bit more firepower to their defense, finding a strong pairing for edge rusher Montez Sweat will be key to success. Perhaps the best option for the Bears is turning back the clock.
With almost $80 million in cap space and three draft picks inside the top 50, Chicago will have ample opportunity to find an edge rusher. If they take the free agency route, former standout Khalil Mack could be considered for a reunion.
Despite going into his age 34-year season, Mack has proven he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Furthermore, he has plenty of connections still in Chicago that Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes could lure him back to the Bears.
“They’ve got to get somebody to play on the other side of Montez Sweat,” Biggs’ source said.
“If the Bears are going to get somebody, it might as well be someone who can make a positive impact,” Biggs wrote. “Mack is a consummate pro, and while hardly any players are still around who played with him in his first go-round with the Bears, he also has a history with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen from their time together in Oakland.”
Biggest hold up in Chicago Bears reunion
It’s currently unknown what Mack will command on the open market. It’s hard to imagine him earning a supremely long contract, but the financial numbers should still be up. Because of that, the Bears are in a conundrum.
They know they need to fix the defense ASAP, but Chicago doesn’t necessarily want to jam puzzle pieces together. Signing Mack to a short-term deal may fix the issue, but the Bears would still have long-term edge rushing concerns. Because of the price tag, Biggs does wonder if a Mack deal could truly come to fruition.
“Mack might cost more than the Bears are willing to pay an edge rusher, and he could be the defensive version of the 2024 trade for Keenan Allen, an expensive move that didn’t really bring a positive net return,” Biggs concluded.
Allen was acquired for a fourth-round pick. While he led the team with seven touchdown receptions, Allen’s 70 receptions for 744 were some of the lowest totals of his career. So while in theory he was a blockbuster addition poised to move the Bears forward, his signing didn’t necessarily pan out.
If the Bears are going to sign Mack, there needs to be a clear short and long-term plan in place. Despite their exorbitant amount of cap space, Ryan Poles and company will be smart with their money.
What Khalil Mack offers Bears
But if Mack were to come back to the Bears, they’d be getting another lethal weapon at getting to the quarterback. Since joining the league in 2014, Mack has been named to the Pro Bowl nine times, earned an All-Pro nod thrice and took home the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year award. He has 107.5 sacks to his name.
The 2024 season saw Mack register 39 tackles, 15 quarterback hits and six sacks. While his sack numbers were down – Mack had 17 in 2023 – he finished fifth out of 211 edge rushers with a 90.4 grade from Pro Football Focus. His 88 pass rush grade was the second-best in all of the NFL.
Both of those attributes are what the team names. Their 40 sacks put them in the middle of the pack in 2024. But Montez Sweat was the team leader with just 5.5. Mack has at least six sacks every season outside of his rookie year. He has made a living off of getting at the quarterback.
Extra help in the run game will also be crucial for a Chicago defensive turnaround. The Bears finished their 2024 campaign ranked 28th in rushing defense, allowing 136.3 yards per game.
Khalil Mack may not be the perfect fit for the Chicago Bears, but he understands how things work around Halas Hall. If both sides can come to terms on an agreement that makes sense, there’s a chance Mack is donning a Bears jersey once again in 2025.
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