The Los Angeles Chargers have a lot of work ahead of them this offseason.
They've already gotten a head start, inking Teair Tart to an extension and bringing in Tyler Biadasz before the dawn of free agency. Even the ERFA tender they extended to Kimani Vidal quietly helped them lock down a key piece of the offense for next season.
Their signing of Khalil Mack to a one-year, $18 million deal on Saturday night was another step in the right direction. But they still have two major internal free agents they will need to contend with this offseason: Zion Johnson and Odafe Oweh.
Johnson's case once seemed perilous given how high his market could rise. But it seems as though the Chargers are committed to bringing him back, even if his annual value reaches as high as $20 million (as Daniel Popper of The Athletic predicted after the NFL Scouting Combine).
Oweh presents a much more difficult scenario. His contract value could also reach close to $20 million annually this offseason. Bringing him back would be ideal, but Los Angeles must seriously weigh whether it's worth the cost.
Thankfully, Mack's signing makes this choice slightly easier.
The Chargers need another pass rusher this offseason, but Mack's signing frees them up to explore their options
The Chargers' pass rush didn't really get going in 2025 until they got their full tandem of Oweh, Mack, and Tuli Tuipulotu healthy and active. Over the final eight weeks of the season, they amassed 19 sacks. Although there were a couple of sub-par performances mixed in there, they were overall one of the most disruptive pass rush units in the league during that span.
The Chargers cannot afford to bet on solely Mack and Tuipulotu in 2026 to consistently create pressure. They need to add another edge rusher.
But perhaps Oweh's price wouldn't be worth it. Through 12 games with Los Angeles, he amassed 7.5 sacks and 13 QB hits. Compared to where he was at with the Baltimore Ravens earlier in 2025, Oweh revived his value exponentially with the Chargers.
Trey Hendrickson will set the top of the market at the position this offseason. But it's quite possible that Oweh, along with Jaelan Phillips, represent the second tier of pass rushers in terms of annual value.
If Los Angeles had somehow lost Mack in free agency, the pressure to bring Oweh back would have been amplified. They simply cannot afford to reconstruct their entire pass rush this offseason. But with Mack secured, there could be room to explore options outside of Oweh.
Perhaps K'Lavon Chaisson or Boye Mafe could be pieces to look into. Both will certainly come much cheaper than Oweh. Selecting an edge rusher in the draft could also be on the table, with players such as Romello Height and Dani Dennis-Sutton projected to be on the board in the third round.
Either way, it's clear the Mack signing has provided the team with more flexibility than they had before.