Khalil Mack is the biggest LA Chargers free agent this offseason and the team has not been shy about wanting to bring him back. Mack has been an instrumental part of the Chargers' offense for three years and even at his age, should continue having an impact wherever he lands in 2025.
Mack is a free agent for the first time in his career and is rightfully going to weigh all of his options in free agency. The veteran edge rusher has never won a playoff game, so it is imperative for him he lands on a team where he can contend for a Super Bowl.
The Chargers are hoping to be that team, so much so that general manager Joe Hortiz made a public plea during an interview with CBS Sports at the NFL Combine for Mack to return.
"There is no flaw to [Khalil Mack]...I feel blessed to been around him for 1 year and hopefully we can make it longer."@chargers GM Joe Hortiz on the importance to keeping Mack in LA.
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 25, 2025
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Joe Hortiz clearly wants Khalil Mack back on the Chargers
This isn't just about Mack's ability on the field. As Hortiz outlines, Mack is a legitimate culture-builder and has become an integral part of what makes the Chargers successful. If Mack leaves there will be a massive veteran hole he leaves behind.
Thankfully, the same thing that makes him so important to the Chargers may ultimately be what keeps him in LA. Mack knows he is helping build the culture alongside Jim Harbaugh in LA and knows that he would not have the same impact as a new face on another team.
The hope for Chargers fans is that Mack prioritizes that culture and the relationships he has built over other opportunities. If so, the Chargers should be able to bring him back in 2025.
The Chargers have the money to sign Mack to a fair-market contract and have made it clear they are going to do so. Los Angeles should also be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender considering all the moves the team can make this offseason.
All of Mack's potential boxes are checked by the Chargers. The only thing that can stand in the Bolts' way is if a top-tier contender, like the Detroit Lions, wants to open its wallet for Mack to join a potential Super Bowl run in 2025.
Hortiz's comments don't just reveal to fans how he feels about Mack. These are a direct message to Mack himself. Hortiz and everyone in the Chargers' orbit know just how valuable Mack is to this team. Hopefully, that message is enough to sway Mack if he is stuck between two choices.