

© Cary Edmondson | 2017 Dec 17

In a shocking move, the Oakland Raiders traded 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack and a second-round draft pick to the Chicago Bears on Saturday, in exchange for four draft picks including first-rounders in 2019 and 2020.

The 49ers were one of the teams said to be interested in Mack during the linebacker’s lengthy training camp holdout. On Thursday afternoon, 49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed the team’s interest, and went onto explain why they ultimately couldn’t land the three-time Pro Bowler.

“Khalil Mack, we were extremely aggressive, but we also want to build this thing to last,” Lynch told Tolbert & Lund.

“Would you love a player like (Mack)? Sure, but we’ve also got to stay measured here and keep on having a big picture, and we’re excited to compete with the group we have.

“I hate talking about a deal that didn’t happen, he’s with someone else, but like the thing we had to weigh, we already paid our quarterback, and paid him handsomely. So if you’re going to get a guy like Mack, you almost have to for the next three or four years, exclusively rely on your draft, but to get him, you’ve got to give away your draft for the next couple years.”

The 49ers gave a huge payday to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, making him the highest paid player in the league at the time with a five-year, $137.5 million contract. The 49ers also made the now injured Jerick McKinnon the second highest paid running back in the league with a four-year, $30 million contract.

“So it’s like how far can we go, and we were aggressive in how far we did go because we knew what he would mean to us if we were fortunate enough to land him. But other people could go further who haven’t paid (their quarterback) and had more flexibility in that realm.”

Listen to the full interview below. To hear Lynch on Mack, start from 5:40.