Chicago Bears: Why the Khalil Mack era could be ending
By Ryan Heckman
2. Chicago Bears linebacker Khalil Mack is no longer an ascending player
Is Mack still an elite pass rusher? Absolutely. He is still as powerful and ferocious as anyone in this league. However, Mack is now on the wrong side of 30 years old and will be 31 by the time this offseason rolls around.
He has not had double-digit sacks in a season since his very first campaign with the Bears when he registered 12.5. Even that number seems low for a player of Mack’s talent. The Bears are scheduled to take cap hits of $30 million, $28 million and $26 million over the next three seasons as well, and for a guy who will be 34 at the end of that contract, it seems like a hefty penny to pay.
Going back to his current foot injury, this is the first time he has missed a game since his first season with Chicago back in 2018, when he missed two. Before that, he had played all 16 games for the Raiders in every season he was there.
But, the fact that he is now the age he is and has been out almost a month with this injury should potentially worry the Bears. This would be the perfect time to move on from him after an injury-hampered season and a year where the Bears are not competing.