The Bolts have taken the first step and added Joey Bosa to their elite pass rusher team.
Two people familiar with the negotiations said that the Chargers had agreed to acquire defensive end Khalil Mak from the Chicago Bears in return for two draft picks. They spoke under condition of anonymity as the trade cannot be made official until Wednesday’s start of the new league season.
For the three-time All Pro defender, the Chargers will likely send a second-round draft pick and a sixth-round selection in 2023 to the Bears.
Staley stated last week at the NFL scouting Combine in Indianapolis that Staley would be focusing on the secondary and defensive lines during free agency and the draft.
Los Angeles (9-8) was 9-8 last year. They started off with a 4-1 record, but lost the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive season. Los Angeles won back-to-back games once after Week 5 and lost three of the final four.
Their defense was a major reason the Chargers struggled down the stretch. Staley introduced an aggressive 3-4 defense to the Rams that made them the highest-ranked unit in 2020. However, he wasn’t able to achieve the same results with Chargers who were 23rd overall and third against the run.
After halftime, the Chargers gave up 269 points. This is tied with the 2015 New Orleans Saints’ record for most points since 1991. The Chargers defense allowed 138.9 yards per match on the ground, which was the lowest since 2003.
49.5% of third-down offences were converted by offenses, which is the third highest rate since 1991.
Bosa was able to make the Pro Bowl for the fourth consecutive year with 10 1/2 sacks. This is his sixth-year professional career. Los Angeles tied for 20th with 35 tackles, and was in the middle of league rankings with 21 takeaways.
“I underestimated where we might be with that because the scheme, the system and the coaching staff are so much my love. Telesco stated that the unit still has a lot to do at the conclusion of last season.
Staley and Mack will be reunited by the move. Mack was Staley’s linebacker coach during Mack’s 2018 acquisition from the Raiders.
Mack was a key figure in Staley’s development as a coach when he was hired by the Chargers in January.
Staley stated that he had learned more from Khalil Mack than from him. “I gained a lot confidence from being able coach a guy like him, and I think that that season in Chicago and that experience made me feel like I could do it someday.”
Mack, who turns 31 on February 22, turned 31. He will enter his ninth NFL season. Mack was the Raiders’ fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft. He was also The Associated Press’ Defensive player of the Year in 2016. After a contract dispute, he was traded to The Bears in the 2018 preseason.
After going 6-11 and missing out on the playoffs for the 9th time in 11 years, the Bears made major changes. Ryan Pace, the general manager, and Matt Nagy were fired. Ryan Poles (and Matt Eberflus) have replaced them.
The first major step of the new regime towards overhauling the roster is trading Mack for draft capital.
The blockbuster deal with Oakland that saw Pace acquire Mack just before the 2018 season began helped transform a solid defense to an elite unit, propelling the Bears to their first NFC North title in Nagy’s inaugural year. Mack was named All-Pro in that season, recording 12 1/2 sacks. This helped Chicago reach 12-4 and the playoffs for first time since 2010. The Bears lost at Soldier Field to Philadelphia in a wild-card match.
Mack never won Chicago a playoff game. His production declined after that season. He had eight and a half sacks in 2019, and nine the next year.
Mack started the season well, recording six sacks in seven of his seven games. After suffering a foot injury against Cleveland in Week 3, Mack was placed on the season-ending injured reserve and had to undergo surgery.
Mack still has three seasons left on his $63.9 million contract. Chicago will have $24 Million in salary cap dead space in 2022 because of prorated bonuses that accelerated onto this year’s cap.
The Chargers have now signed Mike Williams’ $60 million, three year contract. This will give them two of the best wide receivers in the league and two of their top edge rushers.
