Bear Digest

Competition for Khalil Mack just got tougher for Chicago Bears

With the Bears believed to be interested in bringing Khalil Mack back to Chicago, a report by The Athletic says both the Chargers and the Washington Commanders will be in pursuit.
Gene Chamberlain|
If the Bears are interested in signing Khalil Mack as a free agent, it's starting to look like they're going to need to get in line.
If the Bears are interested in signing Khalil Mack as a free agent, it's starting to look like they're going to need to get in line. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears already endured one humility at the hands of the Washington Commanders with Jayden Daniels' Hail Mary pass.

They could be about to endure another one in the offseason.

Everything has pointed to Bears interest in reuniting with edge rusher Khalil Mack but according to a report by The Athletic's Ben Standig, the Washington Commanders are going to be in pursuit as well.

"Mack won’t come cheap—Pro Football Focus projects a two-year, $45 million deal with $40 million guaranteed—but Washington is interested," Standig wrote. "Those terms fit perfectly into the two-year window and will likely be cheaper than the overhyped Josh Sweat."

Standig also thinks the Chargers will make a play to keep Mack after releasing Joey Bosa.

Mack had six sacks last year but in 2023 he had 17. He had 31 sacks for the Chargers in three years and 31 1/2 for the Bears in four years.

The Bears are no longer in good position to battle either the Chargers or Commanders for Mack's services.

The Chargers have the second-most available effective cap space at $83.29 million according to Overthecap.com. The Commanders have the fourth-most effective cap space at $74.47 million.

After trading for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, then tendering a few restricted free agents, the Bears on Sunday were at $40.09 million. That's the 16th most cap space available.

Standig's opinion of Sweat might not be high but in terms of sacks he definitely is right. Sweat has 43 sacks in seven seasons. He is 27 years old, though, and pass rushers tend to pick at 30 and then start to decline.

Mack is 34 years old.

Jets 30-year-old free agent Haason Reddick is available, although at 6-1, 240 pounds he is more of a 3-4 size for an edge rusher than a 4-3 end who puts his hand down in the dirt. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has had edges from 260-287 pounds in New Orleans for the past seven seasons.

Another player who potentially could have been a fit for the Allen system went off the boards on Saturday. That was Marcus Davenport, the often-injured former Saints edge player.

Davenport was in Allen's defense from 2018-2022. He had 21 1/2 sacks in five seasons and never played a full year because of injuries. He played only four games for Minnesota in 2023 and two last year for the Lions.

Davenport received a one-year deal for a reported $4.75 million.

Perhaps the possibility of a trade for Trey Hendrickson isn't such a bad idea for the Bears at edge rusher considering the Mack situation. Hendrickson played for Allen in New Orleans.

CBS Sports last week had reported the trade compensation would be a third- or second-round pick for the 30-year-old Bengals pass rusher, but the key would be finding a way to pay him an extension in a market suddenly drastically overinflated after the three-year, $106.5 million extension given to Maxx Crosby by the Raiders.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.