Chicago Bears: Why the Khalil Mack era could be ending

The Chicago Bears have been without pass rusher Khalil Mack since their Week 7 tilt with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and things don’t look to be getting any better.

Mack’s foot injury has kept him out of practice this week, yet again, and on Thursday the team took an additional measure which made fans a little worried.

The Bears signed veteran pass rusher Bruce Irvin, a former teammate of Mack back with the Raiders, to come in and add depth to the group. This may signal that Mack is indeed out for another game and will not suit up against the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday.

Irvin is a curious add, as he missed almost all of last season with an injury and may not have much left in the tank. Nevertheless, this whole ordeal has to get fans thinking.

Could the Khalil Mack era be coming to an end for the Chicago Bears?

This single injury is not going to be the reason the Bears end up moving on from Mack in 2022. But, it should get the gears turning up in that front office.

Mack came to the Bears back in 2018 when the team traded two first rounders, among other pick swaps, to acquire the All Pro. He immediately changed the tone of that defense from Week 1 on.

The 2018 defense was as fun as any unit in recent memory, and in large part to the arrival of Mack. But, over the past couple of years, he has not had the same impact on this unit. Some of that has to do with scheme and other personnel decisions that have nothing to do with Mack himself.

However, after this season, the Bears very well could try to move on from the former All Pro. There are three major reasons why this would happen.