As the Los Angeles Chargers enter a much needed bye week, the focus of the organization, of course, needs to be on the future of the offense. It remains unclear if Mike McDaniel survives the week in his current role. Most would say that, given the production the team has found so far, he clearly doesn't deserve to.
But simply moving on from the OC won't be enough to salvage this season. At 0-6, the Chargers need to begin charting a path forward into 2027—and that begins with attempting to retrieve some draft capital for their tradeable assets between now and the Nov. 10 deadline.
Sacrificing any of this team's already thin depth to the trade market may be an uncomfortable sight. But what does it matter if the Chargers are already out of playoff contention? Donte Jackson, Dalvin Tomlinson, David Njoku, Denzel Perryman, and Kimani Vidal all may not be back with this team after this season, anyways. (Vidal will be a restricted free agent, so that's a somewhat different scenario).
At the front of Chargers fans' minds, though, will be Khalil Mack—who returned to Los Angeles on a one-year deal with the stated goal of chasing a Super Bowl ring before the end of his career. The Chargers clearly aren't getting that this season, but there's a team with a real chance that has both a need and a perfect fit for Mack.
Per Matt Maiocco at NBC Sports Bay Area, veteran tight end George Kittle spoke with San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch last week about the possibility of making a deadline move for Mack.
49ers GM John Lynch said George Kittle asked him Thursday about the possibility of acquiring veteran edge Khalil Mack, who has three sacks for the 0-5 Chargers. https://t.co/pz6u2RO0MQ
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) October 16, 2026
If Mack is willing to make the move at this point in his career, it's an opportunity neither he nor the Chargers can afford to pass up.
Khalil Mack should be able to stay if he chooses—but the 49ers would be the perfect option for a trade
Let's get one thing straight. There's no reason to advocate for a Mack trade if he doesn't request it. Mack, first and foremost, has a no-trade clause on his deal that would allow him to veto any potential move. He's made it clear that he loves playing for Los Angeles, and there's a real chance he simply chooses to finish out his career there instead of chasing a ring elsewhere. Being away from home, even for a portion of a full campaign, is something that veterans often are hesitant to pursue.
But if Mack does want to entertain the possibility of a move, there's almost no better choice than the 49ers.
San Francisco has a clear need for depth at edge rusher. Nick Bosa remains out with ongoing calf and knee issues and has not played since Week 2. Although the 49ers have some intriguing young pieces in Mykel Williams and Romello Height working off the edge, they don't currently have any active pieces with the same sort of experience and potency in both the run and pass game that Mack does.
More than that, though, San Francisco is a genuine Super Bowl contender at this point in the season. Their total offensive numbers aren't necessarily the most impressive, but Brock Purdy and company have found a way to win week after week—and they're currently second in the NFL in EPA/play, which means many of the underlying metrics there are solid.
On defense, the loss of Robert Saleh and the return to relative full health for that unit seem to have offset in the short-term. San Francisco doesn't have much sack or pressure production on the season, but entering their Monday NIght Football matchup against the Washington Commanders, they've currently allowed the third-fewest passing yards and the sixth-fewest rushing yards on a league-wide scale.
One would assume that pursuit of a Super Bowl was on George Kittle's mind when he approached Lynch about the idea of a Mack trade.
Even if the Chargers can retrieve a fourth or a fifth-round selection (San Francisco has both in this upcoming Draft) for Mack, it'll ultimately be less about the price and more about providing Mack with an opportunity to chase a ring before his career comes to an end.
He's earned it, and Los Angeles should provide him with that if he wants it.
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