The Chicago Bears have high hopes for the 2019 NFL season. It appears linebacker Khalil Mack's expectations exceed beyond that.
Mack has quickly established himself as one of the best defensive players in the NFL. According to ESPN Jeff Dickerson, he wants to be regarded as the best edge rusher in league history:
“I want to be the best to play the game,” Mack said after the Chicago Bears' OTAs on Wednesday. “I mean, you got L.T. [Lawrence Taylor]. You got Derrick Thomas. You got special, special guys that have played this position, and that's all you can do, is kind of chase.”
There is no question that this is some elite company Mack is trying to join. Hall of Famers such as Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas revolutionized not only their position but the way the game is played. Fortunately, Mack seems to be well on his way to doing just that.
His career got off to a promising start after being taken with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. He quickly justified that pick after being named to three Pro Bowls and a Defensive Player of the Year award in his first four seasons in Oakland. Despite his early success, the Raiders opted to trade him rather than reward him with a new, lucrative contract.
The Bears made quite the investment bringing Mack in after parting ways with two first-round picks and subsequently making him the highest-paid player in NFL history. He somehow managed to provide Chicago with plenty of bang for their buck by leading their resurgence on defense and finishing the 2018 campaign with 47 tackles, 12.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and an interception that he managed to return for a touchdown.
Although Mack has gotten off to a hot start, he still has a long way to go before being mentioned in the same breath with the likes of Taylor and Thomas.
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