What’s Khalil Mack worth? To Raiders, it’s four draft picks – two first-rounders
Khalil Mack is headed to the Chicago Bears.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday morning that the Oakland Raiders traded their star defensive end to the Chicago Bears for two first-round draft picks and possibly more. The team officially announced the deal Saturday evening.
ESPN earlier reported that multiple teams made offers for Mack, but the Bears’ was the best.
The Raiders will get the Bears’ first-round picks in 2019 and 2020, third-round pick in 2020 and sixth-round pick in 2019, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. In return, the Bears get the Raiders’ 2020 second-round pick and a conditional 2020 first-rounder.
The trade comes a day after the Los Angeles Rams signed Aaron Donald to a record six-year, $135 million extension.
The Raiders exercised their fifth-year option, worth nearly $14 million, on Mack. But the 27-year-old has stayed away since the offseason workouts began in late May as he was seeking a long-term deal.
Raiders coach had Jon Gruden said “it hasn’t been a distraction” without having Mack at camp.
“For me, it’s been disappointing,” Gruden said during training camp in Napa. “Obviously you want to have your best player here. (He’s) really a great guy. It’s disappointing we don’t have him here.”
Just how important was Mack to the Raiders’ defense? Since 2015, Mack has produced double-digit sacks and was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.
In 2015, Mack was the first player in league history to make All-Pro at two positions (linebacker and defensive end).
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie drafted Mack in the first round (fifth overall) in 2014.
Oakland quarterback Derek Carr shared his feelings on Twitter.
“This is the sucky part of this business... Mornings like this, but we have a season to play and games to win!! #RaiderNation we feel your pain trust me but we need you next Monday night!” Carr wrote.
The trade surprised Raiders defensive end Bruce Irvin, but he added it’s time to focus on the Rams, whom Oakland opens the season against at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
“What a shock. Now move on and win.. time to beat the Rams!!” Irvin tweeted Saturday morning.
Raiders rookie defensive end Arden Key tweeted an emoji, seemingly not happy with the trade.
The Raiders, meanwhile, cut down their roster to the league-mandated 53 players. Among the reported moves:
▪ Oakland is set to release Martavis Bryant who is reportedly facing a suspension. Bryant was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for a third-round draft pick this April.
▪ The Raiders acquired quarterback AJ McCarron from the Buffalo Bills and gave up their fifth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Raiders also waived Connor Cook.
▪ The team announced that cornerback Daryl Worley has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2018 regular season for violating the NFL policy for substance of abuse and personal conduct policy. He’ll be eligible to the Raiders’ active roster on Oct. 1.
▪ The Raiders acquired a seventh-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft from the Seattle Seahawks for safety Shalom Luani.
Raiders’ initial 53-man roster
Offense
QB - Derek Carr, AJ McCarron
RB - Marshawn Lynch, Doug Martin, Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington
FB - Keith Smith
WR - Amari Cooper, Jordy Nelson, Seth Roberts, Dwayne Harris, Johnny Holton, Keon Hatcher
TE - Jared Cook, Lee Smith, Derek Carrier
LT - Kolton Miller, David Sharpe
LG - Kelechi Osemele, Jon Feliciano
C - Rodney Hudson
RG - Gabe Jackson
RT - Donald Penn, Brandon Parker, Ian Silberman
Defense
DE - Tank Carradine, Fadol Brown, Frostee Rucker
DT - P.J. Hall, Treyvon Hester
DT - Justin Ellis, Maurice Hurst
DE - Bruce Irvin, Arden Key, Shilique Calhoun
SLB - Emmanuel Lamur, Kyle Wilber
MLB - Derrick Johnson, Marquel Lee
WLB - Tahir Whitehead, Nicholas Morrow
CB - Rashaan Melvin, Leon Hall
CB - Gareon Conley, Daryl Worley, Nick Nelson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
S - Marcus Gilchrist, Reggie Nelson
S - Karl Joseph, Erik Harris
Special Teams
P - Johnny Townsend
K - Mike Nugent
H - Johnny Townsend
LS - Andrew DePaola
PR - Dwayne Harris, Nick Nelson
KR - Dwayne Harris, Nick Nelson
This story was originally published September 1, 2018 at 8:10 AM.