They're going to need to start looking for an exit plan for Mack sooner rather than later.
Who knows what the Raiders would've offered, so who knows if it would've been worth it pre-this season. If the Bears were going to trade Mack, it would only make sense this year. In the coming years, barring a restructuring, it just becomes way too punitive to absorb his current contract.
Next year is the first year that Mack's cap hit vs. dead cap isn't insanely upside-down.
For the 2022 season, he's got a $30 million cap hit (yikes!) and a $24 million dead cap, for a $6 mil savings if they release him before next season.
For 2023, he's got a $28.5 million cap hit and an $11.6 million dead cap, giving $17 mil in savings and a huge incentive to offload him before then.
For my money, I think Mack is gone by next year, especially if he has a fairly pedestrian year this year. I don't see much incentive on keeping him around.
While we're talking defensive mainstays, Hicks' contract expires after this year. I know his agent has been at Halas Hall trying to work something out. He'll be 33 years old next season. I wouldn't expect Hicks to be back either, unless they can get him fairly cheap. I suppose it'll come to down to what other folks are willing to give a 33-year-old interior defensive lineman.
