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The Chicago Bears visit Lambeau Field on Sunday night Rasmus Ristolainen Jersey , just in time for star pass-rusher Khalil Mack to potentially make his debut in the season opener against the Green Bay Packers.

A premier player joins what figures to be an already tough defense. Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks can't hide his glee.

"When we got him, I was just so excited just to have such a prolific pass-rusher next to me. It's going to be phenomenal," Hicks said.

He led the Bears last year with a career-high 8陆 sacks. Mack is second in the NFL since 2015 with 36陆 sacks. Promising third-year player Leonard Floyd, a 2016 first-round draft pick, will line up at the outside linebacker spot opposite Mack.

This could spell trouble for offensive lines.

"You usually have to game-plan around him, and then when you game-plan around somebody, regardless of what position it is, then there's an advantage somewhere else," coach Matt Nagy said. "That gives the advantage to other players on defense, so those guys need to step up when given opportunities."

The Packers looked into trading for Mack. Now they have to face him.

"Yeah, I was lying in bed scrolling through Twitter like, 'Dang Ben Bishop Jersey , man. Gotta see him twice a year now," Packers receiver Randall Cobb said about his reaction to the Bears' deal for Mack.

The primary responsibility for blocking Mack will fall to veteran right tackle Bryan Bulaga , who will be playing his first game since tearing his right ACL in November. At least Bulaga has had some time on the practice field this preseason, unlike Mack, who held out before being traded by the Oakland Raiders.

He might get some help at times from the Packers' deep tight end group, reinforced during the offseason with the additions of free agent Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis to join veteran Lance Kendricks.

They'll be tasked to give enough time to the ultimate equalizer: quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

It just wasn't clear if Mack would be ready to play this week, though Hicks sure seemed pretty confident that his new teammate would be on the field.

"Well, that's a really good player in his prime," Rodgers said about Mack. "They obviously gave up some picks, but it just adds to the rivalry now that we get to see him twice a year."

Other notes and things to watch for the game:

GRAHAM'S DEBUT: Graham, who signed as a free agent from Seattle, has already shown chemistry with Rodgers. The 6-foot-7 tight end could offer an enticing target especially in the red zone . Defenses may have to decide whether to pay more attention to Graham over the middle or receiver Davante Adams on the outside.

"He can do it all over the field Authentic Oscar Lindberg Jersey ," Rodgers said of Graham. "He's got a wide, wide catch radius and there are a lot of things he can do."

TAKE TWO: The Bears made big moves in the offseason to get the most out of prized quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Whether he can deliver remains to be seen .

"Everything that I saw and went through last year is going to help make me more comfortable this year," Trubisky said.

Trubisky threw for 2,193 yards in 12 games last season after Chicago traded up a spot to draft him with the No. 2 overall pick. But he also had as many interceptions as touchdown passes while compiling a 77.5 rating that was about the same as Mike Glennon's (76.9).

ON THE CORNER: The Packers revamped their cornerback group in the offseason, bringing back veteran Tramon Williams while taking rookies Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson with their first two picks in the draft. They've shown playmaking promise in training camp. Last year's second-round pick, Kevin King, is also healthy again after missing time during his rookie year with a shoulder injury. The 6-foot-5 King has the length and speed to play press coverage on the edge.

ROBINSON RETURNS: The Bears are counting on Trubisky to make big gains in first-year coach Nagy's offense. They also gave him some new options, including former Jacksonville Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson. He returns to the field after tearing his left ACL in his left knee during last year's opener with Jaguars. Signed by the Bears in March, Robinson did not catch pass in the preseason.

MILESTONES: The NFC North rivalry goes back to 1921, with Green Bay holding a 96-94-6 edge. The game will also open up the 100th season in the history of the Packers. The Bears are opening their 99th season.

Jack Mewhort kept trying to play through knee pain.

Eventually Kyle Okposo Jersey , the 26-year-old offensive linemen simply couldn’t any more.

After the Indianapolis Colts gave the oft-injured offensive lineman a second chance last spring, Mewhort abruptly announced he was retiring Wednesday.

”I would like to thank the Irsay family and the entire Colts organization for giving me the opportunity to live a childhood dream,” Mewhort said, referring to the team owner in a statement released by the team after its morning practice. ”The fans and the city of Indianapolis have treated me like one of their own, and I am forever grateful. Wearing the horseshoe was one of the biggest honors I have ever known, and I will always bleed blue.”

Mewhort came to Indianapolis as a second-round draft pick in 2014, billed as part of the long-term solution to protecting quarterback Andrew Luck. His promising career started well.

Mewhort made 14 starts as a rookie, 13 at left guard, one at right tackle, and played well enough in both spots that the Colts moved him to right tackle in 2015.

Three games into the experiment, it was over. Mewhort’s struggles on the leaky line prompted the Colts to move him back to his old spot, where he finished the season by starting the last 13 games.

The devastating knee injuries began in 2016.

He missed six of the last 10 games that season and all but five games in 2017 Elias Lindholm Jersey , finishing both seasons on injured reserve. Even when he did play, he was rarely at full strength.

Mewhort’s health issues scared most teams away when he became a free agent during the offseason.

But even after drafting Quenton Nelson with the No. 6 overall pick in April and immediately plugging Nelson into Mewhort’s spot at left guard, the Colts thought highly enough of Mewhort and his potential to take a low-risk gamble. They re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million, with an additional $1.5 million available in incentives.

When Mewhort reported to training camp last week, he sounded confident that with some extra rest he could stay healthy enough to at least win a spot on another revamped offensive line. The Colts were hoping he could provide depth and versatility to the line, even if he didn’t completely regain his old form.

His comeback attempt officially ended on the same day longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo was activated from the non-football injury list.

”Jack Mewhort gave this organization everything he had in his four seasons with the team,” general manager Chris Ballard said. ”He fought through injuries and played through pain. Jack is a selfless player who always carried a team-first mentality. He is revered among his coaches, teammates and staff, and his leadership will be missed in the locker room. We’re appreciative of Jack’s dedication to the Colts, and we wish him the best moving forward.”

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