Bears Had Interest In DeForest Buckner

Buckner’s move (back) to San Francisco has been completed, which will force Chicago to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements. They have been “linked to Khalil Mack by rival teams,” Schultz adds, raising the possibility of a high-profile reunion.

Buckner would have been an upgrade in the trenches for a Bears defensive line that traded Gervon Dexter to Atlanta before the regular season. None of Chicago’s defensive tackles currently have more than one sack or two tackles for loss this year. 33-year-old Grady Jarrett has been notably unproductive while shouldering a massive 71.5% snap share in his 12th NFL season. As a team, the Bears rank 23rd in rushing yards per attempt allowed.

On the whole, however, the Bears defense has come in as a top-10 unit, indicating that the players have settled into Dennis Allen’s scheme in his second year as defensive coordinator. Chicago’s leading sack-getters are edge rusher Austin Booker and cornerback Kyler Gordon at just four, while Booker, Gordon, and linebacker Devin Bush all have five tackles for loss. No individual player is producing at a high level, but the system is clearly working.

Mack could still bring his decade-plus of NFL experience back to Chicago to gear up for a playoff run. He has three sacks and five TFLs to start the year, putting him on pace to beat his 2025 numbers if he stays healthy. The winless Chargers are resisting seller mode, but moving on from the 35-year-old edge rusher is likely the best path for their long-term future.