Chicago Bears Rumors: Khalil Mack conversation down to a few teams
By Ryan Heckman
So many Chicago Bears rumors have been flying around for over a month now, but a recent report suggests that the interest is as real as ever for Khalil Mack.
It is no secret that the Chicago Bears are hurting in the pass rush department. The only guy who is a legitimate threat at the position, Leonard Floyd, is hurt right now and recovering from hand surgery.
It has been about a month now that Oakland Raiders pass rusher Khalil Mack has been tied to a few rumors, but Thursday, they grew even more.
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Now, don’t go and get all upset about the recent report. I am simply writing the facts. The report was indeed from NFL Insider Jason La Canfora, who went on CBS Sports HQ today to say the following:
"“There’s at least a half dozen teams who have done their own internal due diligence on Khalil Mack … who have started to calibrate what they’d be willing to give up … both in terms of draft pick compensation and/or maybe players … and then obviously what they’d be willing to pay him.”"
La Canfora even went on to talk about which teams were reportedly interested in the former Defensive Player of the Year:
"“The New York Jets, the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears … those are the teams I’m continually hearing tied to Khalil Mack…”"
If the Bears were truly one of the teams interested, I would say Ryan Pace needs to pick up the phone now and make something happen before another team — like Green Bay — makes the first move.
The worst-case scenario for the Bears is if the Packers make the first move and are able to land Mack. If he goes elsewhere, there’s not much of a direct impact on the Bears. Pace should do whatever it takes to land this guy, because he immediately brings that defense automatically into the upper echelon of defenses in all of football.
Mack is unhappy. The Bears still have plenty of cap room to work with, should they decide to pursue Mack, and could likely extend him for the money he wants. If the Bears want to shore up that pass rush filled with a bunch of question marks and young, unproven guys, Mack makes a whole lot of sense right now.
Mr. Pace, if you’re paying any attention to what the fans are dying for right now, go out and make that move happen. Get it done, and get this team into playoff contention.