Khalil Mack is entering unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career this offseason with the LA Chargers hoping to re-sign the veteran edge rusher. After a brief retirement scare, Mack is undoubtedly returning to the league in 2025 to compete for a Super Bowl.
With no career playoff wins and a manageable contract projection for most teams, Mack's biggest priority this offseason is likely finding a team that can compete for a Super Bowl. The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers were specifically named as teams who could go after Mack, which is good for the Chargers considering neither team was a playoff team last year.
However, it appears Mack's market may be much larger than just two mid-tier NFC South teams. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, who first named the Panthers and Falcons as two potential fits, recently emphasized that Mack's market is going to be strong.
Fowler noted that Mack is, "going to have a robust market" and that the Chargers "would like to bring him back" (h/t Zach Bachar, Bleacher Report).
Khalil Mack having a robust market is bad news for the Chargers
In a perfect world, the only competition the Chargers would have for Mack would be the lower-tier NFL teams with cap space. It seems highly unlikely Mack would leave the Chargers for a bad team for just a marginal pay increase.
However, the flip side may also be true. Mack may take slightly less money if he can sign with a team that he thinks has a better-perceived chance of making the Super Bowl next season.
The only teams with more projected cap space this offseason are the New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders and Arizona Cardinals. Three of those teams aren't a real threat to the Chargers, although the Commanders could be an intriguing landing spot for Mack after their trip to the NFC Championship.
That being said, there are several contending teams with ample cap space to pay Mack this offseason. The Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals (although they have contract situations they need to figure out), and Minnesota Vikings all have over $40 million in cap space this offseason.
Mack may prefer to stay in Los Angeles instead of leaving for a lateral move to Green Bay, Cincinnati, or Minnesota. However, the Lions certainly could lure Mack away with a fair-market contract as one of the top-tier contenders in the league.
A robust market is the last thing the Chargers need this offseason. Not only does it raise the price for Mack, which is risky considering his age and mileage, but it could steer him straight out of LA as well.