The final time the Bears handed out the biggest contract in franchise historical past — to quarterback Jay Cutler— it didn’t take lengthy to for some to have purchaser’s regret.
Not so with Khalil Mack.
On Sept. 1, the Bears gave up lots for the privilege of constructing Mack the highest-paid defensive participant in NFL historical past: two first-round picks — together with this 12 months’s — plus a third-rounder in 2020 and sixth-rounder later this month. They bought again a second-round decide and conditional fifth-rounder subsequent season and handed Mack a six-year, $141 million contract.
Seven-plus months later, it’s clear they’d do it once more.
“He transformed the team on both sides of the ball,” chairman George McCaskey mentioned final month. “I assumed [general manager] Ryan [Pace] mentioned it very nicely: When your greatest gamers are your hardest employees, that’s a superb factor.
“I feel having the protection actually helped [quarterback] Mitchell [Trubisky]’s growth. It didn’t need to be all on him.”
Mack earned his fourth Pro Bowl berth final 12 months regardless of having no coaching camp preparation. His 12 ½ sacks — in solely 14 video games — had been essentially the most in a season for any Bears participant not named Richard Dent. His work ethic has been past reproach — Mack made it a degree to coach throughout the Rams-Patriots Super Bowl, a reminder of the Bears’ final aim.
“He’s hungry,” coach Matt Nagy mentioned.
The fixed consideration given Mack on the sector was good for Leonard Floyd — finally. A hand damage contributed to the previous first-round decide’s gradual begin to the season. Through the Bears’ first eight regular-season video games, Floyd had solely two quarterback hits and no sacks. In the final eight, although, Floyd posted 10 hits and 4 sacks.
Floyd’s flourish was sufficient for Pace to choose up the fifth-year choice on his rookie deal, which cements he and Mack because the Bears’ beginning edge rushers for the following two seasons.
As he did final 12 months, Aaron Lynch will again up each. The Bears re-signed the veteran earlier this month to a one-year cope with a $1 million base wage and $1.four million wage cap hit.
After slicing Sam Acho final month, the Bears are left with out a confirmed participant at their fourth outdoors linebacker spot.
The staff may draft one later this month to compete with Isaiah Irving, Josh Woods and final 12 months’s sixth-round decide, Kylie Fitts. Irving posted one sack in 116 snaps final 12 months — greater than half these downs got here in two video games — whereas Fitts was blanked in 58 snaps. Woods was on the observe squad.
When new defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano arrived in January, he pressured the significance of growing these younger gamers.
“Pagano will say, ‘It’s on us to grow these young outside linebackers,’” Pace mentioned final month. “We take ownership of that. As an evaluator, you love hearing coaches talk that way in growing your younger players, so I think it’s more of a philosophical belief that that’s going to continue to happen.”
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Grading the Bears’ want: Medium. The Bears have Khalil Mack beneath contract for an additional six years, Leonard Floyd for an additional two and Aaron Lynch for 2019. Still, you possibly can by no means have sufficient go rushers. General supervisor Ryan Pace has by no means shied away from investing in two areas: quarterback and those that sack the quarterback.
On the roster: Khalil Mack, Leonard Floyd, Aaron Lynch, Kylie Fitts, Isaiah Irving and Josh Woods.
The 5 greatest draftees: Ohio State’s Nick Bosa; Kentucky’s Josh Allen; Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat; Florida State’s Brian Burns; and Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell.
Keep an eye fixed on: Where Montez Sweat lands. Nick Bosa and Josh Allen may each go within the draft’s high three, however Sweat’s projection is extra sophisticated. Tests on the NFL Scouting Combine reportedly confirmed a pre-existing coronary heart situation. First-round groups that wish to spend money on the Mississippi State pass-rusher must be comfy along with his medical evaluations.
Close to residence: Sutton Smith…