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As Khalil Mack debated retirement, a key team has been the Los Angeles Chargers. Although he never formally retired, he teased the idea quite frequently after the deflating Chargers defeat in the playoffs. However, Mack has plenty of interest from other NFL teams.
He’s had quite the career, with 107.5 sacks, a 3-time All-Pro, as well as the 2016 AP Defensive Player of the Year. Although his production slightly dipped since leaving the Las Vegas Raiders, he’s still been elite. However, this past season, he had only 6 sacks, his lowest since his final season with the Chicago Bears.
Either way, he’s proven that he’s elite on the edge. Mack is consistently double-teamed, paving the way for his teammates to have more opportunities at the quarterback. With his retirement tease, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler explained what he thinks the team will do, in order to bring Mack back.
“The sense is Los Angeles will make efforts to re-sign Mack, who will play in 2025 after he said he needed to take time to mull his future following the season,” Fowler said. “The Chargers believe he embodies the spirit of the team’s toughness. But many teams will be lurking for potential pass-rush help, including — but not limited to — Atlanta and Carolina.”
For starters, Los Angeles had an elite defense under first-year head coach, Jim Harbaugh. They allowed the fewest points per game in the regular season (17.7). They only had 45 sacks as a team, despite the stout defense. Bringing Mack back would open up the defense, within the front-seven.
Also, Harbaugh can work exclusively with Mack to figure out positioning. Meaning, he can get more creative with certain blitz packages and using Mack more effectively. No matter what, the former All-Pro will find a way to be productive, despite whatever role he’s given.
Not to mention, this is the first time in Justin Herbert’s career that he’s had a Top 5 defense. That was Harbaugh’s calling card with Michigan football, and even before then, with the San Francisco 49ers. However, as Fowler mentioned, teams like the Falcons and Panthers will be interested in him.
Still, the best situation for Mack might be in Los Angeles. They went 11-6 and went to the Wild Card round. The defense is sound, but the offense might need some tweaks. Keeping the defense consistent will be huge for the Chargers going into next year. And that starts with return of the Mack.
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