There is a newfound sense of optimism surrounding the Chicago Bears with the arrival of defensive end Khalil Mack. Defensive end Akiem Kicks is confident the Green Bay Packers will find out why in Week 1 of the 2018 NFL season opener.
It goes without saying that Mack is one of the best pass-rusher in the NFL. Hicks said via the Packers' official website that there is not a single player on Green Bay's offensive line that can block him:
“I know those five guys can't block Khalil Mack,” Hicks said.
Hicks added that this will be a question every team must answer on a week-to-week basis.
“I think the question every team is going to have is how do you block Khalil Mack, right?” Hicks told reporters. “And so him being there, it just gives me more freedom to have one-on-ones.”
There is certainly plenty of truth to Hicks' bold comments. Mack has established himself as one of the league's premier defensive players and he still has yet to enter his prime years. The former Defensive Player of the Year is a nightmare for offensive lineman thanks to his rare combination of speed and power on the edge. In fact, this is the reason why Chicago was willing to make such a heavy investment to bring him over.
However, it should be noted that the Packers still boast some savvy veterans along their offensive line. This includes two-time All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and tackle Bryan Bulaga. Unfortunately, the unit that is expected to start in the season opener has not had much time to get acquainted with each other. They will need to be in sync if they are going to contain a player like Mack in Week 1.
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