Los Angeles Chargers Odds Shift After Mack Trade

Chargers Super Bowl Odds Drop After Khalil Mack Trade

Khalil Mack is on the move again. Mack was traded from the Oakland Raiders to the Chicago Bears just prior to the start of the 2018 season. After an extended holdout, the Raiders dealt Mack, a second-round pick, and a seventh-round pick to the Bears for two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and a sixth-round pick.

On Thursday, it was announced that the Bears were trading Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers, sending the star linebacker back to the AFC West after four years in the Windy City. The asking price for the four-time All Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection was reportedly a second-round pick and a sixth-round pick.

Chargers Look to Keep Pace With Kansas City and Denver

The Los Angeles Chargers were unable to make the expanded postseason last year, but they are now one of the contenders in the AFC heading into the 2022 season. LA has a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert, and this defense is immensely talented when healthy with the likes of Joey Bosa, Derwin James, and now Khalil Mack.

However, the Chargers’ Super Bowl odds only moved from 25-1 to 20-1 on the news of the trade. The AFC West is suddenly the most difficult division in the NFL now as three of the eight favorites to lift the Lombardi Trophy play in that division.

Where Does This Leave Chicago?

Trading Khalil Mack signifies a changing of the guard in Chicago. Mack was the leader of the defense during his four seasons with the Bears, and that defense was the only reason this team was competitive given the mediocre offense.

This front seven is still one of the better units in the league even after the Mack trade though. Robert Quinn was an All-Pro after recording 18.5 sacks, and Roquan Smith is one of the top interior linebackers in the game. That helped Chicago rank fifth in total defense last season.

As always with the Bears, it’s the offense that needs a lot of work. Justin Fields didn’t show a lot of promise in his rookie season as Chicago continues to cross its fingers and hope for its first great quarterback of the modern era. The Bears have only ranked in the top ten in total offense once since 2000. 

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