The Chicago Bears' defense has held its own pretty nicely this season. Even their pass rush, which seemed to be one of their most glaring weaknesses before the start of the season, has been much better than expected.
That said, even the best things can be improved, and there's no denying that the Bears' offense has still done most of the heavy lifting this season. They need the defense to keep up, and that comes with help.
That, plus his obvious ties to the organization, has made Khalil Mack a no-brainer trade target. The Bears have reportedly inquired about him , but with multiple teams trying to get him, they might want to pivot toward fellow OLB Tuli Tuipulotu.
The Los Angeles Chargers are winless after six games, and there's just no way they'll make the playoffs this season. That makes Mack an obvious trade candidate, and one the Bears should be all- in on. But the Bears won't be alone in his pursuit.
The Chargers are reportedly high on Tuipulotu, who's in the final year of his rookie contract, but with multiple changes to the roster, maybe all it takes is the right offer to lure him away from Southern California.
Of course, Mack is a bona fide player, but the Bears may have to give up a valuable draft pick if there's a big bidding war for his services. If that's the case, they might as well give up a high draft pick to get a promising rookie who has shown signs of promise without even reaching his prime.
Mack might be the better player now, and maybe he's the missing piece for this season, but Tuipulotu offers more upside as a long-term solution. It's a matter of how much the Chargers demand for both players.
Tuipulotu is coming off a breakout season. He had 13.0 sacks in 2025, and he ended contract extension talks with the Chargers in the offseason. They may want to hold onto him, but they won't have any leverage in these situations.
Watching Mack return to the Windy City and ride into the sunset as a Bear is definitely an appealing idea, not to mention a scary thought for the rest of the NFC North. Nevertheless, this team also has to think about the future, and a one-two punch of Austin Booker and Tuli Tuipulotu could wreak havoc for years to come.
This article was originally published on www.dawindycity.com as Bears could pivot to another Chargers star if Khalil Mack trade fails .
