2. Khalil Mack

Position: OLB

Team: Chicago Bears

Experience: 5 Years

This time last year, Khalil Mack’s training camp holdout with the Oakland Raiders came to a shocking end when he was sent to the Chicago Bears in a blockbuster deal days before the season begun. It wasn’t a question then and it isn’t one now that Mack is easily one of the best pass rushers in the entire NFL. Taken second overall in the 2014 NFL Draft—one pick after Jadeveon Clowney who coincidentally just underwent a similar situation this season. The move was a head scratcher at the time and a year later it looks even more confounding that the Raiders opted to trade Mack rather than pay him the money he deserved.

All Mack did in Chicago was help transform the Bears defensive unit into the best in the NFL a season ago. Playing outside linebacker in Vic Fangio’s 3-4 scheme unlocked every ounce of potential and talent that Mack had. He forced a career-high six fumbles (recovered two), recorded an interception that he scored a touchdown off of, and finished the season with 12.5 sacks. His addition bolstered the entire group and the franchise returned to their “Monsters of the Midway” nickname.

This season, the goals for Mack are more team-oriented than individual. He’s been selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls and was a First-Team All-Pro member in three of the last four years. Yet, we haven’t seen his teams be able to use his talents to have sustained success in the playoffs. Mack has played in just two playoff games so far and he’s lost both (2016 against the Houston Texans and 2018 against the Philadelphia Eagles). He has yet to get a single sack in the postseason. Chicago hopes to once again make the postseason as they bring most of last year’s big names back for another run at a Super Bowl.

One person who isn’t returning is defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. This offseason the Denver Broncos lured him away and gave him his first-ever head coaching job in his entire football coaching career—even dating back to coaching stints in high school and college football. While he is highly respected and has coached several of the top defenses in recent memory, the Bears still retain the talent and players that made them a force to be reckoned with. Mack is the leader of that unit and if he can make sure that everyone is still on the same page there shouldn’t be much of a dip in production from the defense.

In an age of offensive explosion, Mack has climbed up to the top of the NFL. While he doesn’t play on that side, his importance comes from his ability to shut down most of those high-powered offenses thanks to his skills as a pass rusher and impact whenever he’s on the field. Having a player that singularly talented is something all 32 teams search for every year in free agency and the draft.  The Bears were lucky to land Mack and they are doing everything in their power to make sure an All-Pro isn’t going to waste on their watch.