The Chargers’ trade for Odafe Oweh led to some speculation Khalil Mack would need a longer recovery timetable in dealing with a dislocated elbow, but that does not seem to be the case. The two outside linebackers should be expected to play together before too long.
Jim Harbaugh confirmed Mack will return to practice Wednesday. This will open the decorated edge rusher’s 21-day return timetable. Today marked Mack’s first chance to practice, representing a good sign his return is near for a team that has been wounded by injuries.
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Mack went down during the Chargers’ Monday-night win over the Raiders in Week 2. Harbaugh made sure to indicate the Bolts expected Mack to be back at some point this season. Rather than a late-season reemergence, the 12th-year veteran — who considered retirement this offseason — is on a fast track.
A Mack return would create a formidable pass rush for the Bolts, who added Oweh to a crew housing Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree. Mack was part of a superior quartet last season, with Joey Bosa in place. The Chargers made the longtime Los Angeles edge presence a cap casualty this offseason and re-signed Mack on a one-year, $18MM deal. The team picked up the balance of Oweh’s fifth-year option salary from the Ravens, rostering him at a $9.57MM cap number.
This elbow setback represented Mack’s first real injury trouble since being traded to L.A. in 2022. At the time, Mack was coming off a seven-game 2021 marred by a foot injury. A new Bears regime dealt him to the Chargers for second- and sixth-round picks. Mack returned as a healthy contributor, helping the Bolts’ cause as Bosa injury trouble persisted, and only missed one game from 2022-24. He earned two Pro Bowl nods during that time, though Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz arranged a pay cut upon arrival last year.
Tuipulotu is off to a strong start, leading the Chargers in sacks by a comfortable margin — with five. This is the former second-round pick’s first extended run as a starter; he is on pace to eclipse his career highs in sacks (8.5) and QB hits (17) in Year 3. Dupree does not have a sack yet; he joins Mack and Oweh in being on an expiring contract. Tuipulotu’s rookie deal runs through 2026. For now, though, the Chargers look set to deploy another interesting two-deep at OLB in the near future.