Chargers’ Khalil Mack’s Free Agency Best Fit is Apparently Random NFC Team

The Los Angeles Chargers want future Hall of Fame edge defender Khalil Mack back in free agency this offseason, provided he doesn’t call it a career.

Mack pondered retirement last year before re-upping with the Chargers on a one-year deal worth $18 million. There was never a major point of speculation that he might leave Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers for new surroundings so late in his career.

But the question is once again making the rounds: Would Mack leave the Chargers this time?

Chargers' Khalil Mack projected to leave in free agency

Mack, soon to be 35 years old, would have plenty of teams interested in him on the open market.

For ESPN’s Matt Bowen, Mack’s best fit isn’t the Chargers, but a trip across the nation and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

“The Bucs had 37 sacks last season, which ranked 18th in the league. They need to address the edges of their pass rush, and while Mack might be seen a situational player for Todd Bowles' defense, the defender can still create disruption and get home to the quarterback. An elbow injury forced Mack to sit out five of the Chargers' games early in the 2025 season, yet he finished with 5.5 sacks and 28 pressures.”

Mack has made it pretty clear that he wants to compete for titles as his career winds down, so dipping for the NFC and a team that just went 8-9 wouldn’t necessarily fit that. Schematically, perhaps the whole thing makes sense.

Khalil Mack since he returned from his elbow injury (weeks 8-17):
- 34 pressures (T-13th most)
- 4 sacks
- 4 hits
- 14.6 pass rush win rate (17th)
- 2nd in run defense grade
- 13 run stops (T-5th)
- 10.1 run stop % (2nd)#BoltUp pic.twitter.com/v737Wy5zaz
— Guilty As Charged Podcast (@GACPodcast17) January 6, 2026

But then again, Mack has already shown he’s a strong fit with what the Chargers do defensively. The whole point of Harbaugh dipping to the college ranks to bring back former positional coach Chris O’Leary as coordinator was to stress continuity after Jesse Minter’s departure.

If Mack leaves, one would think a surefire Super Bowl contender would be his choice. The Chargers could be that with him in the fold, provided the team navigates the roster's needs properly after the great hiring of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator.

One possible hiccup to a Mack return is the fact Odafe Oweh is also a free agent. He’s going to need a big contract to re-up, which the Chargers will want to do based on his production and the investment they already made by trading for him mid-season.

Even so, it still feels like Mack’s situation is retire-or-reunion status with the Chargers once again.

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