Chicago Bears: 5 biggest impacts of Khalil Mack deal

Championship defense

Last year the Bears’ defense ranked in the top 10 in the entire league. That was quite the accomplishment considering they got nothing even remotely resembling a pass rush. Leonard Floyd was injured for a significant portion of the season. No one else stepped up into that role.

Now, the Bears add Mack who is not only adept at sacking the quarterback, but also getting pressure on the quarterback. In fact, pressure can sometimes be better than a sack. For example, when the pressure leads to a rushed/errant throw and an interception. While sacks are nice, turnovers are better.

The point is Mack is going to be a disruptive force on defense. His addition alone elevates this defense from a top 10 defense to an elite defense. The best thing about Vic Fangio returning was the continuity he provided. As it stood without Mack, the Bears defense was likely to improve for that reason alone.

Now you add arguably the best pass rusher in the game and you get a defense that can carry a team to the playoffs by itself, much the way the Jacksonville Jaguars team did last year. If you recall the years under Lovie Smith when the Bears created so many turnovers, the one constant was pressure up front.

Pressure has a trickle-down effect in that it makes all of the players behind the defensive front better. Linebackers and cornerbacks have to defend for a shorter period of time, meaning they have to cover less ground. As mentioned earlier, pressure forces errant or off-target passes which can lead to turnovers.

When looking at the benefits of adding Mack, you can’t simply look at his individual performance. The impact he will have on his teammates and how much better he will make them is equally important.