The Bears have already talked to the Los Angeles Chargers about trading for Khalil Mack. FOX insider Jay Glazer reported Sunday that Chicago put in the call to ask about the pass rusher's availability ahead of the trade deadline.

Glazer expects Chicago to be the most aggressive team in the NFC North when the deadline arrives. "I think they're going to be very aggressive," Glazer said. "Ryan Poles, that's what he does. More aggressive than the other teams in that division."

This is a pursuit, not a deal. ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported the same day that interest in Mack is expected from teams such as the Bears, but the Chargers have given no indication they are willing to make any trades at this time. Los Angeles is 0-6 and insists it is trying to win games. The calls are still going to come.

The need in Chicago is not hard to see. Dayo Odeyingbo is on injured reserve and Montez Sweat is serving a suspension, and the edge room has been patched together ever since. The Bears are 5-2 and in the middle of the NFC race. A thin pass rush is the kind of problem that shows up in January.

Mack has three sacks in six games this season, and he is playing on a one-year contract. He is set to be a free agent in 2027 and he mulled retirement after last season, so there is no long-term commitment attached to bringing him in. It is a rental, and rentals are exactly what deadline buyers pay for.

Then there is the history. Mack was the face of this defense from 2018 to 2021 after the blockbuster trade that brought him from Oakland. He was a first-team All-Pro in his first Chicago season and the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year before that. The Bears traded him to the Chargers in 2022. Putting him back in navy and orange, on a team that is winning, writes itself.

None of it matters until Los Angeles says yes, and the Chargers are not there yet. But the biggest name on the edge market now has Chicago's number in his call log, and Poles has never been shy about being the one who calls first.

Key Facts

  • Report: Jay Glazer of FOX reported Sunday that the Bears have talked to the Chargers about Khalil Mack
  • Status: Talks only. ESPN reports the Chargers have given no indication they are willing to trade
  • Mack in 2026: 3 sacks in six games, on a one-year contract, free agent in 2027
  • Chicago's need: Dayo Odeyingbo on injured reserve and Montez Sweat suspended, with the Bears at 5-2

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