Mack excited 'to be wanted' in new journey with Bears
Players of Khalil Mack's caliber are always in high demand, but the newest member of the Chicago Bears said he's excited to be in an environment where he's cherished.
Mack was traded from the Oakland Raiders in exchange for a package centered around two first-round picks. The superstar edge rusher then agreed to a six-year extension reportedly worth $141 million, which includes $90 million guaranteed and a $60 million signing bonus.
Asked what he liked about his new team, Mack provided a concise answer.
"To be wanted, that's all it takes," Mack said, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB.
Signed. Sealed. Delivered. pic.twitter.com/2KfFOodqCw
- Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 2, 2018
Mack said he's looking forward to proving himself worthy of being the NFL's highest-paid defensive player, noting that there is some pressure that comes with the territory.
"I want to be great. I want to be known as one of the best to play the game. That's what it's all about," Mack said, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
Asked about Mack's availability for the season opener against the Green Bay Packers, Bears head coach Matt Nagy noted it was "hopefully, pretty good".
"We've got to be smart, because the last thing you want to do is throw him out there and he gets hurt and we lose him for some time. We want to be aggressive with that, but smart," Nagy told WBBM's Jeff Joniak.
Bears GM Ryan Pace also lauded ownership for allowing him to acquire the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
"This is a premiere player at a premiere position. This doesn't come around that often so when it does come around I'm just proud to be a part of an organization that is willing to be aggressive," Pace said of Mack.
Mack recorded 78 tackles, 10.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and three pass deflections in 16 games with the Raiders last year. He's expected to be a foundational piece of the Bears' defense for years to come.
Copyright (C) 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.