Khalil Mack's future is a key storyline for the LA Chargers for the second straight offseason. Mack, who flirted with retirement last year, signed a one-year deal with the Chargers to give it another run at the Super Bowl.
Mack finds himself in the exact same scenario this offseason, although the retirement speculation has been much quieter. While it's certainly still a possibility, Mack has been less open about his football mortality since the Chargers' playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
If anything, it sounds like Mack wants to keep going.
Mack talked about how much he loves the game, and emphasized that he's going to take this offseason day by day in making a decision about his future. One tidbit stood out above all else, though. Mack told reporters he still wants to retire a champion.
Khalil Mack wanting to retire a champion bodes well for the LA Chargers
Whether or not Mack plays is one conversation. After all, it's hard to fully buy into the idea that Mack will definitely play when Derwin James is dropping cryptic posts on social media.
That being said, if Mack does play in 2026, it seems likely that it will be with the Chargers. Mack clearly has one goal at this stage of his career and that's to win a championship. And when you look at the lay of the land in the NFL, there aren't many bona fide contenders with better odds than the Chargers with ample cap space.
Mack won't demand a massive salary in 2026, but he's not going to play for the minimum, either. It will take some level of cap space to sign him to another one-year deal and that's not a concern for the Bolts, who have over $100 million in projected cap. It is a concern for most of the teams in the league, though.
There isn't a shortlist of teams that are viewed as concrete contenders over the rest of the league in 2026. The usual suspects all have flaws, and that's what made the 2025 season so compelling. With back-to-back playoff trips, $100 million to spend, and a new offensive coordinator, the Chargers are actually in a great position to establish a shortlist.
The list of teams that have a similar ceiling as the Chargers while also having the cap space is even shorter. The Los Angeles Rams are the biggest threat, as they have the cap and the contention window. But that's assuming Matt Stafford is still playing at an MVP-level next season.
The Seattle Seahawks are another team, but that perception of them could quickly change if Sam Darnold has another postseason collapse. The Eagles, Ravens, 49ers, and Patriots all have some cap space, but may prioritize it elsewhere (and still don't stick out much over the Bolts).
Chicago could theoretically be an option with Ben Johnson, but they don't have the cap. Unless Mack takes a massive pay cut, it just doesn't make sense financially.
All this to say: the Chargers seem to have a strong chance of re-signing Mack if he intends to play next season. Here's hoping they can grant his wish of retiring a champion.