Khalil Mack will be back on an NFL field in 2025. The question now becomes if it will be with the LA Chargers, or with a new team.
Speculation around Mack retiring was thwarted earlier this week by NFL insider Adam Schefter. The Chargers are undoubtedly interested in keeping Mack in LA but that does not guarantee the star edge rusher will return.
Playoff success has alluded Mack his entire career. With the veteran edge rusher never winning a playoff game, Mack may prioritize a chance at winning the Super Bowl over anything else during NFL free agency.
While the Chargers have a chance of going on a Super Bowl run with Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert, there are other Super Bowl contenders with cap space who also could use Mack's services. One team stands out above the rest as the biggest threat to lure Mack away from Los Angeles this offseason.
The Detroit Lions could steal Khalil Mack from the Chargers
The most dangerous team for the Chargers this offseason is none other than the Detroit Lions. Detroit has one of the best young edge rushers in Aidan Hutchinson and traded for Za'Darius Smith last season with one more year left on his deal.
As special as Hutchinson is and as good as Smith looked at times after Hutchinson was injured last season, the Lions could use one more premier pass rusher to build up the depth of the front seven. Enter Mack, who would be perfect as the third option to solidify Detroit's defensive line.
Much like he did with the Chargers in 2024, Mack could be part of a rotation with Hutchinson and Smith that allows the veteran to stay fresh and healthy. Detroit truly could get the most out of Mack at this stage of his career and that has to be a compelling idea for the veteran edge rusher.
Even more compelling is the fact that Detroit will be in a select group of Super Bowl favorites, despite what happened in the Divisional Round this year. The Lions have $46.8 million in projected cap space, which is more than enough for Mack's services.
The Chargers' biggest hope in conversations with Mack is that he prioritizes the comfort of staying in Los Angeles and the desire to see this out with Harbaugh. If winning a Super Bowl is by far the No. 1 priority, it is going to be hard for the Chargers to keep up with the Lions.
Detroit may have only made it one game further than the Chargers but they were the most dominant team in the NFC and were simply decimated by injuries down the stretch. Even without both of their 2024 coordinators, the Lions will likely be the Super Bowl favorites out of the NFC.
Meanwhile, the Chargers will have to get through teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens. That's not to mention the Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, and several other potential sleepers next season.