Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Khalil Mack remains one of the game’s elite players, but the impending free agent might not return in 2025. Originally acquired in the 2022 offseason, Mack remained productive under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, making the Pro Bowl while recording six sacks, 39 tackles, six tackles-for-loss, 15 quarterback hits, and a 90.2 PFF grade, the fifth-best mark in the league. While the Chargers will try to retain their star pass rusher, ESPN’s Matt Bowen believes he could leave for a new organization.
In a recent article, the NFL analyst highlighted the Green Bay Packers as the best fit for the impending free agent. Keep in mind that, in the same piece, Bowen suggests some impending free agents remain with their current team, so he seems to believe Green Bay could get more out of Khalil Mack than the Chargers. Only time will tell if this happens, but it’s easy to envision a bidding war between these two teams.
“The Packers adding Mack to pair with Rashan Gary would boost their pass rusher off the edges…even though he’s turning 34 this week, he’s still a three-down force with the steady play speed to heat up the pocket.”
ESPN: Packers Could Steal Free Agent Khalil Mack From Chargers
The Green Bay Packers could use another pass rusher, and Khalil Mack is probably the best free agent on the market. As mentioned in Bowen’s piece, Green Bay has a strong edge defender in former first-round pick Rashan Gary. Unfortunately, that’s all they have, as the rest of the depth chart leaves something to be desired. 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness was something of a head-scratching selection at the time, and the Iowa product has yet to justify his selection.
The Packers have a strong roster, but they must improve to compete in the NFC North. This is arguably the most competitive division in football, as the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings have the talent to win a Super Bowl, while the Chicago Bears should improve dramatically with first-year head coach Ben Johnson inheriting a promising roster. Khalil Mack would help this team compete for the top spot in the division, but can the Packers afford the free agent?
Money Talks
As of this posting, the Green Bay Packers have a staggering $49 million in 2025 cap space, which is more than enough to sign a free agent like Khalil Mack. While he’s still a good player, he’s on the older side and won’t earn a long-time commitment. Chances are, Mack will sign for something in the neighborhood of three years and $60 million, a sizable portion of which will be incentive-laden.
The Chargers have the cap space to match this, as the team has over $70 million in available spending money. While a percentage of that cap space will go towards addressing their impending free agents, Mack should be one of their top priorities. Los Angeles needs edge defenders just as much as the Packers, especially with Joey Bosa being a likely cut candidate. While Green Bay would be a good fit, it’s hard to envision the Chargers allowing Khalil Mack to leave as a free agent.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
