The Chicago Bears head into the offseason with plenty of storylines. New head coach Ben Johnson is looking to put a stamp on his team and make life easier for Caleb Williams. Williams is looking to build off a solid rookie year and Ryan Poles will aim to put a team around him armed with $69 million in cap space and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
WIth everything going on, there will be no shortage of excitement for the Bears this spring. But you could say the same thing for one of their biggest rivals, the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers are in a better spot than the Bears, coming off an 11-6 season despite a Week 18 loss at Lambeau Field. But they need some help when it comes to rushing the passer. To achieve that goal, Green Bay may call a former Chicago star who could lead to an awkward NFC North reunion next season.
ESPN Suggests Former Bears Star Khalil Mack Should Sign With Packers in Free Agency
ESPN released a list of the best fits for the top 50 players in this free agent class including former Bears edge rusher Khalil Mack. Ranked ninth on the list, Matt Bowen suggested that Mack sign with the Packers to help their pass rush and make a return to the NFC North.
“The Packers adding Mack to pair with Rashan Gary would boost their pass rush off the edges,” Bowen wrote. Mack had six sacks and 41 pressures in 2024 with the Chargers. And even though he’s turning 34 this week, he’s still a three-down force with the steady play speed to heat up the pocket.”
Mack has a prominent place in Bears history after then-GM Ryan Pace traded first-round picks in 2019 and 2020, a third-round pick in 2020 and a sixth-round pick in 2020 to acquire Mack before the 2018 season. Mack also signed a six-year, $141 million contract that made him the highest paid player in NFL history at the time and rewarded Chicago with 36.5 sacks in four seasons.
While Mack was a solid player and an All-Pro in his first season with the Bears, they couldn’t find the success they wanted after making the playoffs in 2018. Mitchell Trubisky flamed out at quarterback, Pace was fired and Mack was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers as one of Pace’s first moves in the spring of 2022.
Despite entering his 30s, Mack has remained an effective player, collecting 31 sacks in three seasons with the Chargers including a 17-sack campaign in 2023. He’d be a fit for a team like the Packers, who posted a 22.1% pressure rate and 45 sacks last season but a problem for a Bears team that is looking to rebuild its offensive line.
The possibility of Mack playing the Packers twice has to add some added incentive to go after a big name such as Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith and potentially give Chicago one more storyline as they head into the offseason.