Last season, the NFL community was shocked to find that the Oakland Raiders traded their former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack along with a 2020 second and fifth-round pick to Chicago Bears in exchange for first-round picks in 2019 and 2020, a third-round pick in 2020, and a sixth-round pick in 2019.
Many were confused about the trade, as Jon Gruden told The Athletic that he “cried for three days” after trading Mack. Also, a month after the trade, Gruden stated “it’s hard to find a good pass rusher”. The Raiders finished 25th in the NFL in sacks with Mack. After the trade, they ranked last in sacks with 13. Meanwhile, the Bears were 3rd in sacks with Mack and made the playoffs.
Fast forward a year later, and it appears that Oakland won the trade. The first-round pick that Chicago gave up ended up being RB Josh Jacobs. He has helped turn the Raiders running game into one of the best in the league. On defense, they have already surpassed their sack total and are tied their total in wins from last season with 4.
On the other hand, the Bears came into this season with high expectations and are currently 3-5. To throw salt in the wound, one of their losses were to the Oakland Raiders.
Oakland has the building blocks for an exciting team for the future. If the trend continues, the 2020 Chicago pick could be in the top 15 this year. Meanwhile, Chicago appears to be taking steps back.
Photo: AP Photos
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