Two of the biggest free agents for the Chargers this offseason happen to be their star pass rushers. Odafe Oweh hits the market at 27 after a breakout season in Los Angeles. Khalil Mack will determine if (and where) he wants to play his 13th NFL season. Including the playoffs, Mack and Oweh combined for 16 sacks and 86 pressures last season.
In an ideal world, the Chargers would like to keep both of their star pass rushers along with Tuli Tuipulotu. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that the Chargers would like to do just that. But Joe Hortiz and the front office also feel like they have optionality at EDGE this offseason.
Graziano wrote this in his Sunday notebook on ESPN:
“The Chargers have a pair of free agent edge rushers in Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack. They'd like to have them back, but they recognize that there's good depth in free agency and the draft this offseason at edge rusher. They feel they'd be in good position to replace them if they left.”
Chargers are already prepared to replace Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh
Hortiz and the front office have to prepare for all scenarios. Getting potentially outbid for Oweh is a distinct possibility since they won’t use the franchise tag. Daniel Popper of The Athletic reported that Oweh’s market could get to $25 million AAV.
Meanwhile, the uncertainty around Mack revolves less around finances relative to Oweh. He’s not going to reset any markets as he plays year to year. But does Mack want to retire? If he does play in 2026, does he view the Chargers as his best chance to win a ring?
The leverage the Chargers have in negotiations could ultimately be the depth of the EDGE free agent and draft classes. PFF has 17 edge rushers ranked inside the top 100 of their draft big board. They also have 16 FA edge defenders in their top 100 free agents.
If Oweh or Mack negotiations get too high for the Chargers’ liking, it does seem like there are quality options to fall back on. As mentioned before, though, they’d like to have them both back. That seems especially true with the hiring of new DC Chris O’Leary. Do the Chargers want to bet that they can maximize their pass rush without Jesse Minter, Oweh, or Mack?
While there are good free agent and draft options available at EDGE, the Chargers probably won’t want to lock themselves into having to use a top-three-round pick at the position. If Oweh, Mack, or both players leave, Hortiz does become slightly more pigeonholed in April. Keep in mind the Chargers only currently have six projected draft picks.
If there’s a year to break the bank for Oweh and Mack, it is in 2026 while Tuipulotu plays out the final year of his rookie deal. But Hortiz has to pay responsibly-this is also the case for LG Zion Johnson.