NFL: Who won the Khalil Mack trade?
In 2018, the Las Vegas Raiders - then known as the Oakland Raiders - traded their dominant edge rusher, Khalil Mack, to the Chicago Bears for four draft picks. The former first-round draft pick wanted a massive contract extension but the Raiders weren't too keen on giving it to him and found the Bears' offer too enticing to pass.
The Bears eventually acquired him for four draft picks and signed him to a 6-year, $141 million contract, the largest ever for a defensive player. Below is the breakdown of the trade.
Khalil Mack's trade breakdown:
-- Chicago Bears received: Khalil Mack
-- Las Vegas Raiders received: 2019 first-round pick, 2020 first-round pick, 2019 sixth-round pick, and 2020 third-round pick
Back then, the Raiders felt they hit the jackpot by acquiring four draft picks for their wantaway star. But who really won the trade? Let's take a detailed look:
How did the Raiders use the draft picks they received for Khalil Mack?
The Raiders received the 2019 first-round pick which was the 24th overall pick, and the sixth-round pick in 2019 was the 196th pick. The 2020 draft picks consisted of the 19th overall pick in the first-round and the 81st pick in the third-round.
Raiders 2019 first round 24th overall pick: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama
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Josh Jacobs has proven to be a stellar pick for the Raiders. He has run for over 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons. Jacobs has played in 28 games for the Raiders and has produced tremendous numbers.
Josh Jacobs Career Stats:
-- Attempts: 515
-- Rushing yards: 2,215 yards
-- Touchdowns: 19
-- Receptions: 53
-- Receiving yards: 404
Raiders 2019 sixth-round 196th overall pick
The Raiders sent the 2019 sixth-round pick to the Steelers along with wide receiver Ryan Switzer in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The sixth-round pick ended up with the New York Jets and with it, they drafted Blessuan Austin. Austin has started 16 games for the Jets but has not been a big impact on their defense.
Raiders 2020 first round 19th overall pick: Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
Damon Arnette appeared in nine games for the Las Vegas Raiders and started seven of those games. Arnette was a good contributor in those seven games but it is hard to gauge what the future holds for the cornerback. Let's take a look at Damon Arnette's numbers from his rookie season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Damon Arnette's Rookie Season Stats with the Raiders:
-- Total tackles: 25
-- Pass deflections: 2
-- Tackles for loss: 1
Raiders 2019 third round 81st overall pick: Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina
Bryan Edwards appeared in 12 games for the Las Vegas Raiders and started three of the 12 games in his rookie season. Like Arnette, Edwards did not show enough to be called a key player for the Raiders. Let's take a look at how Bryan Edwards' rookie season turned out.
Bryan Edwards Rookie Season Stats with the Raiders:
-- Receptions: 11
-- Receiving yards: 193 yards
-- Touchdowns: 1
How has the trade between the Bears and Raiders impacted each team?
Khalil Mack made the move from the right side of the defense to the left side after joining the Chicago Bears. With that being said, how has the Khalil Mack trade turned out for the Bears?
Khalil Mack's stats with the Chicago Bears:
-- Total tackles: 144
-- Sacks: 30
-- Tackles for loss: 29
-- Interceptions: 2
-- Touchdowns: 1
The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled majorly on the defensive side of the ball. Take a look at how the Las Vegas Raiders defense since Khalil Mack was traded.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive rank since Khalil Mack trade:
-- 2018 Defensive Rank: 32nd
-- 2019 Defensive Rank: 24th
-- 2020 Defensive Rank: 30th
Las Vegas Raiders defensive sack rank since Khalil Mack trade:
-- 2018 defensive sack rank: 32nd
-- 2019 defensive sack rank: 24th
-- 2020 defensive sack rank: 29th
Who won the Khalil Mack trade: The Bears or the Raiders?
When looking at the Khalil Mack trade, the Chicago Bears hit a home run and walked away with the win in this trade. Looking at how much the Raiders have struggled on defense since losing Mack tells the story. The Raiders ended up with only one great pick from the Khalil Mack trade.
If we had to declare a winner, the Chicago Bears have easily won the Khalil Mack trade.