The Los Angeles Chargers could send Khalil Mack back to the Chicago Bears before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, according to Jonathan Jones of The Athletic. Jones reported Saturday that multiple league sources believe a reunion between the 35-year-old edge rusher and the franchise that originally traded for him in 2018 “makes the most sense if both teams continue on their respective trajectories.” The Chargers enter Week 5 at 0-4, while the Bears sit at 3-1 and could use reinforcements on the edge.
Mack signed a one-year, $18 million deal to return to Los Angeles for a 13th NFL season after briefly weighing retirement this offseason. The contract is fully guaranteed and runs through the end of 2026, meaning Mack is set to become an unrestricted free agent regardless of where he finishes the year. That expiring status, combined with the Chargers’ alarming start, is exactly what’s fueling the speculation a month before the deadline.
Why Chicago Fits as Mack’s Trade Destination
The Bears originally acquired Mack from the Raiders in September 2018 in a blockbuster deal that sent two first-round picks, a third-rounder and a sixth-rounder to Oakland. He spent four seasons in Chicago before the Chargers traded for him in 2022 ahead of Jim Harbaugh’s arrival. Jones reports Mack’s trade value this time around is nowhere near that 2018 price tag — sources believe it could cost as little as a fifth-round pick, which the Bears currently hold. Mack has three sacks and 14 total tackles through four games this season, adding to a career total of 116 sacks that ranks among the best of his generation. The hold-up, according to multiple reports, is that the 0-4 Chargers are not yet ready to formally start selling. Los Angeles hosts the Broncos this weekend looking to avoid an 0-5 start, and a loss would only intensify pressure on the front office to begin moving pending free agents like Mack. The Bears, meanwhile, have roughly $9 million in cap space to work with and a defense that ranks middle of the pack in sacks, with Dayo Odeyingbo currently leading the team at three. Adding a proven veteran rusher — even a part-time one at this stage of his career — would be a clear short-term upgrade for a team trying to hold serve atop the NFC North race.
What a Mack Trade Would Mean for the Betting Markets
Chicago’s Super Bowl odds have already been climbing after a 23-12 win over the Jets pushed the Bears to 3-1, with the team sitting around +1600 to +1800 on most boards and priced near a 64% implied probability to qualify for the playoffs. A move for a proven edge rusher like Mack, even on a short-term rental basis, would reinforce a defense that still has work to do getting after the quarterback, and it’s the kind of depth add that can matter in close divisional games down the stretch. On the other side, the Chargers’ win total has already drifted toward sell territory — their preseason over/under of 9.5 has fallen to 5.5 at most books, and some sportsbooks now list the under as the favored side. A formal decision to deal Mack would be one of the clearest signals yet that Los Angeles is pivoting to asset management rather than playoff positioning, which would likely push that win total market even further toward the under and could also soften the Chargers’ already long-shot division and conference futures prices. For bettors tracking both teams’ season-long numbers, this is a storyline worth watching closely as the Nov. 10 deadline approaches — and as the Chargers’ Sunday result against Denver could be the tipping point that gets a deal done.
