The in-state Week 1 matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Oakland Raiders lost one of its marquee stars with Khalil Mack getting traded to the Chicago Bears over the weekend. But Todd Gurley sure isn’t complaining about that development.
The Rams’ star running back expressed his relief at not having to face Mack on that Raiders defense in Week 1.
Article Continues Below“I’m just happy Khalil Mack got traded to the Bears and I don’t have to worry about him week one,” Gurley said per Rams reporter Sarina Morales.
It’s certainly understandable for Gurley to feel glad that Mack is gone. No one in his right mind would like to go up against Mack, who apart from being one of the most feared pass rushers in the entire league, is also an excellent run defender. Mack led the entire league in run stops and QB pressures combined last season, per Pro Football Focus.
That terrific production against both the pass and the run was one of the big reasons why Mack deserved to be the highest-paid defender in the entire league. Unfortunately, the Raiders didn’t feel he was worth that sort of money, which was why they decided to trade him.
Meanwhile, the Rams decided to pay their elite Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Aaron Donald. So while the Derek Carr and the Raiders running backs worry about Donald wreaking havoc all game long, Gurley and the Rams won’t have to do the same with a Raiders defense which is significantly weakened with Mack no longer around.