Chargers veteran predicted to leave Los Angeles for $12 million Bears contract

The Chicago Bears are poised to rekindle a familiar partnership this off-season, with Windy City Gridiron analyst Jacob Infante forecasting a one-year, $12 million deal that would bring edge rusher Khalil Mack back to Halas Hall.

Mack, 35, spent the past four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after Chicago traded him in 2022. Despite recording only 5.5 sacks in 12 games last season, the nine-time Pro Bowler remains a respected force against both the pass and the run. Infante notes that Mack’s blend of power, refined technique and veteran savvy would slot in immediately opposite Montez Sweat, giving the Bears a battle-tested bookend to anchor Dennis Allen’s defense.

The potential reunion carries added nostalgia: Allen served as Mack’s head coach during the linebacker’s 2014 rookie campaign with the Oakland Raiders. While Mack is no longer the dominant 2016 Defensive Player of the Year who terrorized quarterbacks for the Bears from 2018-2020, Infante argues the future Hall of Famer can still provide consistent pressure and set the edge against the run on a modest short-term contract.

For Chicago, signing Mack would represent a cost-effective contingency if the club is unable to land a marquee trade target such as Maxx Crosby. General manager Ryan Poles has prioritized upgrading the pass rush, and a proven commodity like Mack carries less risk than a blockbuster deal while preserving draft capital for other roster needs.

On the West Coast, the Chargers appear ready to move forward without their veteran edge defender. A breakout 2025 season from Tuli Tuipulotu and the possible re-signing of Odafe Oweh have made Mack expendable for head coach Jim Harbaugh’s staff. Letting Mack walk would free up snaps for younger talent and allow Los Angeles to allocate resources elsewhere as the franchise retools around quarterback Justin Herbert.

Should Infante’s projection prove accurate, Bears fans would welcome back one of the most popular defenders in recent franchise history—this time as a complementary piece rather than the centerpiece, but one still capable of disrupting backfields and mentoring a developing linebacker room hungry for postseason success.