Mark Murphy: Packers Were 'Aggressive' Pursuing Khalil Mack Before Bears Trade

Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy said Thursday the team made an "aggressive" attempt to trade for superstar linebacker Khalil Mack last year before the Oakland Raiders accepted an offer from the NFC North rival Chicago Bears.

Murphy told Gary Ellerson of 105.7 The Fan he thinks his team's higher preseason expectations may have been the deciding factor from Oakland's standpoint.

"Well, the whole Khalil Mack thing. It's not that we didn't try," he said. "We were aggressive. We wanted to sign him. I think, ironically, the Raiders took the Bears' offer because they thought they would be a better draft pick."

The Bears signed Mack to a six-year, $141 million contract extension after making a deal with the Raiders, and Murphy said he isn't sure that would have been the right move for Green Bay since it had signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a four-year, $134 million contract.

"I don't know if it is good to have the highest-paid offensive player in the league and the highest-paid defensive player in the league," Murphy told Ellerson. "Is that a good way to build a team?"

Mack was slowed by injuries at times during his first year in Chicago but still finished with 47 combined tackles, 12.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, an interception and a touchdown in 14 games.

Meanwhile, the Packers tied for eighth in the NFL with 44 sacks as a team, so it's hard to say whether Mack could have fixed the issues that led them to rank 22nd in points allowed.

Green Bay proceeded to use the 12th overall pick in the 2019 draft on outside linebacker Rashan Gary, who they'll hope can eventually make a Mack-like impact off the edge.