Are there 18 players better than Khalil Mack in the NFL? Seems like an obvious 'no,' doesn't it?
But that appears to be the case if you believe in the NFL's list of the Top 100 Players of 2020. Mack checked-in at No. 19.
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Maybe Mack's lower-than-expected ranking is the result of his worst statistical season since his rookie year in 2019. He totaled 8.5 sacks, his lowest single-season total since 2014 when he managed just four. Mack had four straight seasons of double-digit sacks before last year.
Still, it's an undeniable truth that Mack is one of the 10 most talented players in the NFL and a franchise cornerstone player. Those guys don't get ranked this low.
There's an overwhelming sense of pessimism around this Bears team entering 2020, and Mack's low ranking on the Top 100 Players list is a continuation of that. To be fair, this list is voted on by the players, so the media (or Packers fans) can't be blamed for it.
The addition of Robert Quinn to Chicago's pass rush should help Mack regain his dominant form as a sack artist. And remember: he doesn't have to wrangle 10 or more sacks to be worth every penny he's being paid.
NFL
It's quite possible that Quinn will have more sacks than Mack in 2020 simply because of the one-on-one situations he's put in due to Mack's presence. It's invisible production like that that makes No. 52 a much more valuable asset than any box score can possibly reflect.