For the second time in his brilliant career, Khalil Mack is on the move.

The Chicago Bears have agreed to trade the star rusher to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 sixth-round pick, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday.

As part of the deal, Los Angeles is paying Mack’s entire remaining salary: three years, $63.9 million, Rapoport added. It’s a relatively small price to pay for a player who has played at elite level in every season except the last, which was marred by a foot injury that prematurely ended his year after just seven games and required a surgical intervention.

The salary schedule also fits into the schedule for quarterback Justin Herbert, who enters the third year of his rookie contract in 2022 and will have a fifth-year option available for the Chargers, although he is cautious to s expect Los Angeles to strike a long-term extension with the caller before then.

Simply put, thanks in part to Herbert playing high on a rookie contract, the Chargers can afford this deal.

A four-time All-Pro (three first-team selections, one second-team nod), Mack is heading west to a state he once called home during his time with the Oakland Raiders of at the time, who traded him to Chicago on a blockbuster deal. in 2018. Instead of returning to Northern California, Mack will be packing his bags for the southern part of the state to join a Chargers team that narrowly missed the playoffs in 2021 after showing title-chasing potential. Los Angeles had a dire need to rush to the edges and responded to it with this deal, with Mack teaming up with Pro Bowl passing thrower Joey Bosa to hunt three star passers in the AFC West: Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, Derek Carr of the Raiders and future Denver Bronco, Russell Wilson.

Chicago, meanwhile, is scooping up much-needed capital ahead of a draft that will be vitally important to the Bears’ future under new general manager Ryan Poles.

The end of the Mack era in Chicago comes with a disappointment, as the Bears won an NFC North title in his first season with the club, but never made it past the wildcard round of the playoffs with Mack. on the team. Still, the deal with Mack was worth it: He racked up 36 sacks in four seasons with the Bears, a span of time that included three Pro Bowl selections, two All-Pro honors and a second-place finish in player voting. defenseman of the year. in 2018.

After a difficult year caused by injury, Mack will be looking to return to the court in top form while wearing new colours: powder blue and sunny gold. The Chargers faithful will be more than happy to have him as they unite in hopes of helping their promising team return to the playoffs.