Last offseason Bears General Manager Ryan Pace made the biggest move of his career, trading up in the draft for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Today Pace made a bigger move. And he’s quite pleased with himself.
Pace pulled off a trade with the Raiders for Khalil Mack, a move that Pace sees as a game-changer for Chicago.
“We are excited to add a special playmaker like Khalil to our football team,” Pace said in a statement. “He brings a ton on the field, but he really fits what we are building in our locker room, too. Elite defensive players in their prime are rare so when we knew we had a legit shot to acquire him, we did everything we thought necessary to get him. I’m confident the compensation to Oakland, including the return draft picks to us, and the contract extension for Khalil are fair to all parties. We are anxious to get Khalil to Chicago with his coaches and teammates.”
Mack is undeniably a good player, but a bigger question facing the Bears will be whether Trubisky develops into the Bears’ franchise quarterback. If Trubisky does develop, he should lead a good Bears offense and Mack should lead a good Bears defense.
If Trubisky doesn’t develop, the Bears may wish they had those two first-round draft picks and all that salary cap space back. Of course, if Trubisky turns out to be a bust, rebuilding the Bears without those draft picks will be a job for the next general manager.