According to media reports, the Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders have a deal in place that will send NFL All-Pro pass rusher Khalil Mack to The Windy City.
While the final details of the pending deal have yet to be finalized and not official, reports are that the blockbuster move will involve two first-round picks and a player to be named later for perhaps the NFL’s premier pass rusher in Mack. There are moves and then there are gutsy, ballsy ones done to bring in a no-brainer, future Hall-of-Fame type of talent in Mack, and often maligned and criticized Bears general manager, Ryan Pace brought his set of big ones in closing the deal.
With the addition of Mack to an already solid Bears defense that includes linebackers Roquan Smith, Leonard Floyd and Danny Trevathan, defensive end Akiem Hicks and a secondary composed of Kyle Fuller, Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson.
May God have mercy on your soul, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins and Matthew Stafford.
Before becoming GM, the former New Orleans Saints director of player personnel, has often been the target of criticism from Bear Nation, as SB Nation blog, Windy City Gridiron once asked what Pace is “actually good at”.
While his free agency mark is rather mixed thanks to QB Mike Glennon, Pace has made some aggressive moves in signing Allen Robinson, Trey Burton and Taylor Gabriel and hitting on draft picks in franchise quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, RB Jordan Howard and the forementioned Smith and Fuller.
Today though, Pace showed that the Bears are going to be force to be reckoned with in acquiring Mack. It’s rare that a trade is a win-win for both parties involved as the Raiders will likely land two picks in the top 15, while avoiding the season-long distraction of Mack and a potential multi-million contract on par with Aaron Donald, but the Bears came away with the better player who can help now in today’s win-now era of football.