Khalil Mack is the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history

When the Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders worked out the trade details for Khalil Mack, the most important detail was the Bears making sure they’d be able to negotiate a contract extension for the 2019 free-agent-to-be-Mack.

There’s no way that Bears general manager Ryan Pace would have agreed to send a couple of first-round picks and change to Oakland without assurance he could get Mack locked up long term. That’s too hefty of a price to pay without security as the Bears lock in a championship core.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that Khalil Mack is now the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. Mack will receive a six-year, $141 million contract extension, which includes $90 million guaranteed and $60 million due at signing. His per-year average will be $23.5 million.

Mack’s new deal will eclipse the six-year, $135 million that Aaron Donald received just yesterday. A deal that set a good benchmark for likely easy negotiations between Mack and the Bears to give him his well-deserved money as one of the best players in the NFL. A notoriously “cheap” organization in the Bears essentially writing a blank check. Who would’ve thought?