The trade to send stud defensive end Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears is reportedly official and they gave up a ton.
According to Adam Schefter the Bears sent two first round picks (2019 & 2020), a third round pick (2020) and a sixth round pick (2019) to the Raiders. In return they got Khalil Mack, a 2020 second round pick and a 2020 fifth round pick.
So instant reaction, was it worth it?
Khalil Mack is a proven star in this league. How many first round picks have you seen turn out to be a bust? A bunch, right? Nothing is guaranteed for those first round picks, Mack being a stud in the NFL is pretty much a guarantee.
He's had 10+ sacks in each of the past three seasons and is a menace on the football field.
On the other hand here, there's no guarantee that Mack is back next year for the Bears. He's entering the final year of his rookie deal and if he doesn't like it in Chicago, he could be gone after this season. Let's say that he does like it in Chicago, the Bears are still going to have to pay in a boat load of money next year, how will that affect the rest of their roster going forward?
*UPDATE*: News came out later that Mack had agreed to a 6-year, $141 million extension with the Bears
There's more than one variable at play here.
For me, I would lean towards the Bears winning this deal. As I said, Mack is a stud, he's proven and he fits the scheme and vibe in Chicago perfect. It's assumed that he'll sign a long-term deal there, though it's no guarantee. The Bears have showed their desire to make a big investment in him, that means a lot to a player.
For the Raiders, they go back to rebuilding mode. They have some good assets with multiple first round picks the next few years, and their hands were probably forced in this situation. But it's never easy to lose a star, even if you get a king's ransom in return.