Mack to Chicago, Part II? The 0-4 Chargers' Best Pass Rusher Is Suddenly the Bears' Favorite Trade Rumor

Bolts fans, brace yourselves. We're five weeks into the season and the trade-deadline vultures are already circling one of the few things that has actually worked in LA.

Khalil Mack could be headed back to Chicago. The Athletic's Jonathan Jones reported Saturday that a Chargers-Bears trade "is something multiple league sources told me makes the most sense if both teams continue on their respective trajectories," per Bleacher Report and ProFootballTalk.

That "if" matters. Here's where things stand, and why Sunday against Denver suddenly carries a lot of weight in Los Angeles.

What's actually been reported

• The match: The Chargers are 0-4. The Bears are 3-1. Jones' sources see Chicago as the logical landing spot for a 35-year-old edge rusher on an expiring deal, per Bleacher Report's summary of the column.
• The price: Two front-office executives suggested Mack could be worth a fifth-round pick, per Bleacher Report. Chicago holds the Falcons' fifth-rounder from the Gervon Dexter Sr. trade.
• The money works: Mack's base salary is $8 million in the final year of his deal, and he'll have $5.77 million left to be paid after this week, per Florio. Jones noted the Bears have roughly $9 million in cap space.
• The holdup: The Chargers aren't sellers yet, per Rotoworld's summary of Jones' report. A loss to Denver on Sunday could change that quickly.
• The temperature: One NFL executive told Jason La Canfora, "I think he's gone," per Chargers Wire.

The trade deadline is Nov. 10. Florio pointed out the Chargers are two games from their bye week, which is the classic time for a team to decide whether it's buying or selling.

Mack still has plenty left

This isn't a team trying to dump a washed vet. Mack has three sacks and 14 tackles in four starts, per Bleacher Report. Florio noted those sacks came for a team that hasn't had many late leads, which is when pass rushers get to just pin their ears back and go.

Chicago doesn't need him. Bleacher Report notes the Bears rank top-five in both yards and points allowed. But picture Mack lining up across from Montez Sweat on third down in January. Contenders make that move.

And the history is hard to ignore. In 2018, the Bears gave up two first-round picks, a third and a sixth to get Mack from the Raiders, per Florio. He became the face of that defense before Chicago sent him to the Chargers in March 2022 for a second-round pick and a 2023 sixth, per ChicagoBears.com. Florio's line on the price this time around: "It would be a lot less."

The timing adds something extra, too. Chicago is mourning Mike Ditka this week (our tribute here), and Bears fans are about to spend a Sunday in Green Bay wearing sweater vests. A Mack reunion would hit that crowd right in the nostalgia.

Why Bolts fans should care about Sunday

Chargers vs. Broncos, Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PT at SoFi (CBS). The Chargers' injury report is a disaster, as we covered in our 0-4 injury crisis breakdown. Ladd McConkey (foot) is questionable, and Quentin Johnston, Joe Alt and Derwin James are all out, per Chargers.com.

Our take (opinion): If the Chargers drop to 0-5, GM Joe Hortiz has to listen on Mack. It's not personal, it's math. A 35-year-old on an expiring deal doesn't help a team that's playing for 2027. A fifth-round pick isn't much, and that's exactly the point. The real value of the trade is letting a future Hall of Famer play meaningful football in December instead of finishing out a lost season at SoFi.

There's a catch, though. Florio raised it: if Mack only wants to go to Chicago, it gets harder for the Chargers to get much back. They don't have leverage. They have a player everyone likes and a calendar that's running out.

If the Bolts beat Denver, this cools off for a week or two. If they lose, start refreshing your feed every Tuesday.

Fantasy angle

• IDP leagues: If Mack gets traded, his sack upside is basically the same in Chicago. He'd probably move into more of a rotation role, so expect fewer snaps, but better game scripts with more chances to rush the passer late. That's a wash.
• Team defenses: The Bears D/ST is already a streaming option. Adding Mack makes it a little better against bad offensive lines. The Chargers D/ST, already down Derwin James, would lose its best pass rusher. Fade it.

Rumors are rumors until the paperwork clears. We'll update if a deal happens.