Winning in the offseason is always fun, and of course winning the Super Bowl is the goal, but only one team can achieve that every year, and that’s usually the team with one of the top five QBs in the NFL.
The rest of us fans will have to find happiness elsewhere, and a big offseason acquisition is a surefire way to get fans excited for next season.
Question of the day: What is the most exciting trade or free agent signing in Chicago Bears history?
There are a ton of options here, and I suppose you could even include when the team traded up to draft someone (like Ryan Pace did in 2021 when he selected Justin Fields, which no doubt got fans excited). The Bears have made plenty of flashy moves over the years.
The Julius Peppers signing got fans excited, the Jay Cutler trade gave fans hope that the Chicago Bears could finally get the franchise quarterback they’ve been longing for, and let’s not forget the Ryan Pauls for DJ Moore trade, but to me, one move stands out above all the rest.
My answer is simple: the Khalil Mack trade. I know this trade is high on many people’s lists, but maybe not #1. But here’s why it’s #1 to me:
The trade was announced on a Saturday morning, just eight days before the Chicago Bears’ season was set to begin against the Green Bay Packers. I was fortunate enough to find out about it the night before. While I wasn’t 100% sure it would happen, I did know that the Bears had made a strong offer and were in discussions with Mack’s people about a contract extension.
The only way the Raiders would get to the stage where a potential contract extension would be discussed is if the Raiders were willing to accept the Bears’ offer. That was pretty close to reality, and after a splashy offseason that included the signing of Allen Robinson, there was real reason to be excited.
I broke the news to a few friends and stayed up late texting and chatting with them about the possibility of Mack coming to Chicago, so late in the night that I ended up sleeping when NFL officials announced the trade.
But that Friday night was a lot of fun. Excitement was building among me and others who shared the news. When the news broke on Saturday, the anticipation exploded into pure joy. We all knew what Mack meant to this defense, and it’s great that his impact in 2018 exceeded everyone’s expectations. He’s helped propel the Chicago Bears into the best defense in the league and one of the top defensive units of the 21st century.
There have been plenty of exciting trades and free agent signings, but none compare to the anticipation and excitement surrounding Khalil Mack.
What do you think, Bears fans? Do you agree with Bill? Was the Khalil Mack trade the most exciting trade you’ve made? Let us know what you think in the comments and share your favorite trades and free agent acquisitions!
