The Bears released a highlight reel on social media Friday showing defensive highlights from recent seasons with three words written across the top: “Leave your legacy.”
The first highlight shown belonged to Khalil Mack, the former Bears defensive end, who was sacking Tom Brady. The last clip showed Mack giving high-fives to Bears fans. There was a Mack interception in the middle of the 47-second video, too.
The highlight reel showed defensive plays made by Charles Tillman, Brian Urlacher, Jaylon Johnson and Julius Peppers. No player got more air time than Mack, though.
That’s notable, given that Mack — who just finished his third season with the Chargers — will become a free agent next week. The Bears, in desperate need of pass-rush help opposite Montez Sweat, figure to spend on one.
It could be Mack, who turned 34 last month. The Bears traded him to the Chargers three years ago but he’s aged well since, making the Pro Bowl three times and missing only one game. He had a whopping 17 sacks in 2023, with eight in 2022 and six last year.
Leave your legacy. pic.twitter.com/DCJ2GiFn5e
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 7, 2025
Mack, who played for the Bears from 2018-21, figures to command a big-money, short-term deal — perhaps two years at $20 million, or more, per year. But that might prove to be a smarter spend than trading a draft pick for the privilege of making the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL.
Other big-name edge rushers expected to be available when the legal tampering period starts Monday include the Eagles’ Josh Sweat, the Jets’ Haason Reddick, the Chargers’ Joey Bosa, the Titans’ Harold Landry III, the Saints’ Chase Young and the Falcons’ Matthew Judon.
