Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears shook up their roster on Tuesday, but not in the way that some fans and even former players hope, with Khalil Mack an increasingly popular speculative trade target for the organization he previously played for.
Former Bears first-round draft pick and three-time Pro Bowler Kyle Long believes the fit is there.
“One thing I was talking about this week with Bill Cowher: trade moves. This is a Bears team that’s one trade away from being a Super Bowl contender,” Long told former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson on “Set Hut!” on October 6. “Look, I thought it was gonna be Maxx Crosby. But the Raiders keep winning, and they’re not gonna let that guy out on a Southwest flight again. Because we saw what the hell happened last time. Maybe Khalil Mack.”
Long capped it by saying, “Return of the Mack,” and he is not alone in feeling as though a reunion could be in both parties’ best interest.
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Long’s comments are just among the latest that suggest the Bears could be poised to take advantage of a floundering Los Angeles Chargers team–whose head coach is former Bears quarterback Jim Harbaugh–before the deadline in November for a player like Mack.
Mack, 35, has 3.0 sacks through four weeks.
He had 11.5 sacks in 28 games (27 starts) across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. That was after notching 17.0 sacks in 2023.
“Wouldn’t it be something if Mack returned to the Chicago Bears, where he spent four seasons from 2018-2021? He made three straight Pro Bowls in Chicago and recorded 36 sacks in 53 games played,” CBS Sports Jordan Dajani wrote on October 6, listing Mack as the Chargers’ top potential trade candidate.
“The Bears have Montez Sweat, Austin Booker and Dayo Odeyingbo — who leads the team with three sacks. Pass rusher is not the biggest need on the team, but a Mack homecoming would help boost Chicago’s defense as the Bears look to repeat as NFC North champions.”
The Bears have seven picks to use in any potential trades at the deadline.
Whether they feel a move for Mack is the right one is another story. He has played in an even front before, and he is a strong run defender. He is a better fit in an odd one, though.
The Bears, like most teams, play plenty of nickel, which minimizes the importance of what base front a team runs. Still, Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has preferred bigger EDGEs. If the decision comes down to Mack and a more traditional option, that could matter.
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