Khalil Mack's future is one of the biggest storylines of the offseason for the LA Chargers. The All-Pro edge rusher has officially entered NFL free agency and has already brought up the possibility of retiring from football.
Mack turns 34 next month and while still very productive, started showing some signs of slowing down in 2024. Regression happens fast in the NFL and the worst thing a team can do is pay a premium for past performance. Some are worried the Chargers may be forced to do that if Mack returns.
That possibility does not seem to frighten the Chargers at all, though. In the end-of-season press conference on Wednesday, both head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz made their intentions very clear: they want Khalil Mack back.
Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz said they want Khalil Mack back. Hortiz said he’s already texted Mack about chatting soon.
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) January 15, 2025
Harbaugh: “I don’t know if it’s possible to get everybody back, but I wanna get as darn close as possible … and nobody more than Khalil Mack.” pic.twitter.com/SgTNV413pw
Chargers desperately want to bring Khalil Mack back in NFL free agency
The Chargers have made their intentions clear and the ball is firmly in Mack's court. If Mack isn't a member of the Chargers next season it will be his doing, and not because of a lack of trying from the Bolts.
While there is a likely price point the Chargers do not want to exceed for the 34-year-old edge rusher, it is hard to see his market value even reaching that point. Not many teams have cap space this upcoming offseason and those who do are less likely to spend it all on a 34-year-old edge rusher.
That's not to say Mack shouldn't get paid well for his services, the price and length of the contract just have to make sense for the team signing him. For the Chargers, a one-year deal with an elevated, fully guaranteed salary could make sense given the team's salary-cap situation.
If Mack does leave the Chargers it likely will not be because of money. It will be because he either hung the cleats up, or he finds a new team where he thinks he has a better chance of winning the Super Bowl.
Mack has been pretty clear that at this point the one thing he is chasing is the Super Bowl. Despite being one of the best edge rushers of this generation, Mack has never won a playoff game in his career.
The Chargers are playoff contenders next season but if a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or Detroit Lions came knocking, Mack could be interested in jumping ship for a perceived better chance of winning it all.
Only time will tell what the future holds for Mack but one thing is abundantly clear already: the Chargers want him back and the ball is in his court.