Khalil Mack in Navy and Orange...?

He does spend most of the time talking about Mack as a pass-rusher, but you can see the physicality he's working with, and see a little bit of his run defense towards the end of the video. Mack, anywhere near the line of scrimmage, is a bad, bad man.



You'd have a hard time making the argument that there's a better 3-4 OLB in the game right now.

 

My two concerns with this move:

Did they give up a player? Who?

and

Opening night is in a week. Mack hasn't played football all off-season, and is on a new team with new scheme / responsibilities that has their opening game a week from now. Obviously, his acquisition is more important than week one, but I'd prefer he have the off-season to work into the defense properly.

 

If we only win 6 games this year it means that Trubisky is not progressing like he should and then having the knowledge of having 0 first round picks to build on for the next 2 years... Not sure there will be any Bears fans around by then.

The price is only worth it if we become a playoff team. We've sold out our future now as we did for Cutler in 2009, which I supported at the time, and we came one game short of the Super Bowl. A 6-10 season knowing that we've got too much salary tied up with one man on defense and still no answers at QB on offense is deeply depressing prospect for Bears fans. Mack is 27. Perfect age, maybe has 3, possibly 4 prime seasons left. That's the window, but salary cap issues are now a legit concern going forward. This trade has to pay off now or it will blow up badly in the next few years.

 

My expectation with this trade is we are at least a 9 win team.

 

I disagree with quite a bit of this...

Trubisky may show solid development this season and the Bears could come away with 6 wins or less. The final score for a lot of Bears' games this season won't be a really strong indicator of where this team is.

The price should be well worth it even if the Bears don't see the playoffs till year 3. That's when the window probably slides open a bit farther for them to start competing for the division championship.

You can't really compare the Cutler deal to the Mack deal. Khalil is going to be an impact player on the opposite side of the ball. Cutler had a more immediate impact on the entire fortune of the franchise. Mack could be the next Lawrence Taylor and if Trubisky comes along slowly that's just how it's going to be.

Khalil moving to the OLB adds years to his longevity. He could be a dominant force up to age 36 so long as Floyd develops and keeps some of the heat on his side and off of Mack.

If the Bears win a division title in 2020, retain the core players that are on the roster now, draft wisely and make solid free agent moves for the next 3 seasons then this trade could possibly go down as the catalyst that remade an entire franchise.

 

I think people shouldn't freak out about the PTBN, and let's remember fans are idiots. Per Rapaport, the haul/meat & potatoes of this deal is the two 1sts.

I'm guessing not Trevathan. Wont be shocked if its Nick K, which means they really like that Joel Iyiegbuniwe.

Let's wait for the deal to be done and then digest.

 

I can compare it because what we've given up is nearly identical. With no first round picks the next 2 seasons, the indication is that Pace is confident the nucleus is in place for a team that should be competitive now. How can a GM expect to continue to rebuild with 0 first round picks for the next 2 years? It's hard to do that coming off a 6-10 season, even when considering our first round picks have generally not panned out.

It should not take that long to get back to the playoffs and it's not acceptable for me if it does. We see teams rebuild in 1-2 seasons these days, if the QB is in place of course, and that's how it should be given how the salary cap and injuries change teams' fortunes so quickly. We haven't been to the playoffs since 2010. Enough is enough. I think Pace agrees with that sentiment. I just hope he's right about what he's doing.

 

Nick Kwiatkowski is a nice player to have on your roster, but Joel definitely has the higher upside.

 

I can't argue comparing it based on the price, so I won't, lol.

My point of contention is viewing it as an actual between impacts. Because of the nature of their positions it doesn't make for a 1+1=2 comparison.

The only way it is acceptable is if this team is trending in the right direction.

Context is everything. You could make the playoffs in a year where Matt Stafford and Aaron Rodgers miss more than half the season and the Vikings suffer enough injuries to derail a return to the playoffs, all while the Bears show stagnation in progression.

Or, you could miss the playoffs these next two years while Trubisky develops into a top 10 quarterback and the Bears continue to fill holes and improve the entire roster through growth and addition.

I look at this roster as I see a team that is moving in the right direction but I don't see a team that has to win right now or else they are screwed in two seasons.

In fact, I see the opposite.

 

I'll take the playoffs anyway I can get them, and speaking for most people here I'm sure they would agree. We've had our share of injuries recently. And even with guys like Rodgers injured, the Bears still haven't been able to beat our divisional rivals. 3-15 over the last 3 years is our divisional record. That we beat them this year regardless of what players suit up for the hated would absolutely be viewed as progress and not stagnation.

 

Bears are cutting a couple ILBs...including Timu so I’d have a hard time believing they would be sending an ILB to the Raiders as well.

 

Holy shit, he's actually trying to pull this off.

I get why people are excited, we all went nuts when the traded for Cutler. Its impossible not to get swept up in it a bit when you see a blockbuster trade and its your team front and center.

But i've gotta say, im pretty apprehensive about this. Mostly cos its just an eye watering amount to give up for a non QB, but a few of other things too:

1- The player: This can't be a starter. The deal is already more than expensive enough as it is. If they give up a starter, its too expensive. If it actually was Trevathon then this is a no brainer bad deal. Trev is a highly under-rated player in this league who also happens to be on a great contract for the Bears. The price is so high that it really shouldn't be a starter. And yet it really wouldn't surprise me if it was cos of....


2- Pace sucks at trades: I get the argument raised that Pace stinks in the 1st round. But he stinks more at trades. Pace gets owned in trades. Whether its Trubisky, Marshall, Bennett, Khari Lee, and all the others ive blocked out, Pace in charge of a trade this big is flat out terrifying. There's literally like 3 guys safe on this roster right now.


3- Prob my biggest problem with this trade actually. If you have a team that is ready, or even close to ready, you can justify it i guess. You make a move like this when your QB is on a rookie deal. BUT, you also need to know said rookie is the guy and im sorry, but the Bears don't know that about Trubisky. I like him, i think he can make it..... but there's a world of difference between a Russell Wilson and a Trubisky.

The Seahawks knew what they had in Wilson after 1 season. Sorry, but the Bears don't know that about Trubisky yet and anyone who thinks they do is lying. He hasn't the numbers or the tape. So what you're left with then is hope. Thats one hell of a gamble to be taking with a move designed to put you in win-now mode.


And make no mistake, win-now mode is what this has to be. I totally disagree that you make this trade and its still ok to win 6 games. Hell. No. This is a playoffs move, thats the bar you're setting yourself when you go all in like this.

The Bears don't pick till the 3rd round next year. They have no 1st rounder in 2020 if this deal happens. That means the rebuild is over. Its win now.

 

Even though its probably not, I'm hoping its Josh Bellamy. Give the Raiders the player equivalent of herpes while we're at it.....

 

And make no mistake, win-now mode is what this has to be. I totally disagree that you make this trade and its still ok to win 6 games. Hell. No. This is a playoffs move, thats the bar you're setting yourself when you go all in like this.

The Bears don't pick till the 3rd round next year. They have no 1st rounder in 2020 if this deal happens. That means the rebuild is over. Its win now.

THATS IT EVERTON ... PERIOD END OF STORY

 

Because of Mack’s age and because of the age of the roster in general...this trade doesn’t put you in win now or else mode...it puts you in position to be really good over the next 4-5 years and allows you to grow into it.

 

It wouldn’t be okay to win 6 games.

But it wouldn’t make this trade a failure.

If Mack were 31 or something like when they signed Peppers...it would be different

 

This trade is a failure if one or more of the following things happen:

• Mack ends up sucking or getting hurt.
• We miss the playoffs and are crippled by the salary cap with such a huge contract and unable to improve the rest of the roster.
• Trubisky sucks or busts out and we have no #1 draft pick in 2020 to use for a QB.
• The player to be named later is currently a major contributor to the Bears.

This trade is a success if one or more of the following things happen:

• The defense shows tremendous growth this year and becomes a consistent top 10 defense in 2019 and beyond.
• Trubisky proves to be a solid starter and Nagy's presence stabilizes the offense going forward, thereby enabling Pace to focus on putting pieces around Mack.
• Mack becomes the greatest pass rushing terror the NFC North has seen since prime Jared Allen.
• Mack's very presence allows Floyd to finally break out and become the dominant playmaker we've been hoping for.
• We go to the playoffs this season and are setup for the future.

 

It would because what blang said is right. If Trubisky plays well and Mack does what he should this team doesn't win just 6 games. Thats virtually inconceivable, unless they get absolutely decimated with injuries which lets not assume is gonna happen.

So if the Bears only win 6 games it means Trubisky hasn't played well, maybe even stinks. If Trubisky stinks then the entire validity of this trade is gone because the Bears haven't settled the issue of the QB position.

There is zero point in making this trade if the Bears don't have a QB. And like i said, they don't know that they do have one. Which is why this would be a huge gamble on Pace's part.

 

The trades a success if Mack plays the way Mack is capable of playing and this unit is a Top 5 or better defense....which it very well could be.