Keeping edge-rusher Khalil Mack was wise for the Los Angeles Chargers, but their pass-rush still has holes they must plug.
On Monday, ESPN’s Kris Rhim reported the Chargers and Mack agreed to a fully guaranteed one-year, $18M deal.
In 11 seasons with the Raiders, Bears and Chargers, Mack has won 2016 Defensive Player of the Year and made nine Pro Bowls. In 16 regular-season games in 2024, the 34-year-old had six sacks and 15 quarterback hits, via Pro Football Reference.
However, retaining Mack may not account for the departure of five-time Pro Bowl edge-rusher Joey Bosa, whom L.A. released March 5.
The Chargers had 46 sacks in the regular season in 2024, tied for the sixth most in the league. Bosa ranked fifth on the team in sacks last season (five in 14 games).
The Chargers have a solid young edge-rusher in Tuli Tuipulotu, but whether the 22-year-old will become a premier playmaker like Mack or Bosa remains unclear.
In his first two seasons with L.A., Tuipulotu has had 13 sacks in 34 regular-season games. Mack logged 19 sacks in 32 games in his first two seasons with the Raiders, while Bosa had 23 in 28 in his first two seasons with the Chargers.
Edge-rusher Myles Garrett is no longer available after he and the Cleveland Browns agreed to a record-setting extension (four years, $160M) on Sunday.
The other free-agent edge-rushers don’t seem appealing for L.A. The crop includes Von Miller and DeMarcus Lawrence. Miller had six sacks in 13 games with the Buffalo Bills in 2024, while Lawrence recorded three in four games with the Dallas Cowboys.
Betting on an edge-rusher with pick No. 22 in the 2025 NFL Draft would be a good idea for the Chargers. In Tankathon’s latest mock draft, they take Marshall edge-rusher Mike Green (6-foot-3, 251 pounds), who led the FBS in sacks (17 in 13 games) in 2024.
