The Chicago Bears entered the NFL season with major questions on defense, at least on paper. They missed multiple opportunities to give Dennis Allen some help in the pass-rushing department, including making a run at Cam Jordan or Maxx Crosby.
Ultimately, the Bears signed the often-injured Marcus Davenport to their practice squad. He wound up asking to be released and retiring before playing a single snap in the Windy City, an outcome as infuriating as predictable.
That's why, after such a disappointing move and given the Los Angeles Chargers' 0-4 start to the season, the Bears might want to save face by bringing back Khalil Mack, the best pass rusher available.
The Bears need Khalil Mack after the Marcus Davenport debacle
The Bears' pass-rush win rate ranks 14th in the league, according to ESPN, which is much better than expected. Then again, looking at the Bears' roster, one can only wonder whether that's sustainable over a full 17-game season.
Dayo Odeyingbo is in the midst of somewhat of a breakout season, leading the team with 3.0 sacks. Montez Sweat and Austin Booker are right behind him with two apiece, and Kentavius Street has one, but no other defensive lineman has recorded a sack. They've come from Devin Bush and Malik Muhammad.
Maybe this is just an overreaction, and the Bears will be just fine, but the mere fact that they rolled the dice on Davenport in the first place speaks volumes about how they truly felt about this unit. That was about much more than just the Dennis Allen connection.
Whoever trades for Mack will only have to pay him $6 million for the remainder of the season. That number will drop as we approach the November 10 trade deadline, but the Bears can't afford to wait for that long.
Mack was spectacular in Chicago when he was healthy. He struggled mightily in his final season with the team, but he's given Father Time a run for his money and has turned back the clock in his time in Southern California.
The Bears have been nearly perfect this season, and they have the best, most stacked offense in the game. They can't let their few flaws hold them back, more so knowing that they should've addressed that issue months ago.
Ryan Poles may have traded away Mack, but there should be no hard feelings here. And with Davenport giving this team a huge nothingburger, why not go all-in, now knowing this team's true potential?
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