Khalil Mack has been one of the premiere pass rushers of the last decade in the NFL. He has played for the Raiders, Chicago Bears, and Los Angeles Chargers. However, Mack has been contemplating retirement. Today, it was reported that Mack has made a decision on his future.
Khalil Mack Makes A Decision On His Future
Former Defensive Player of the Year (2016) Khalil Mack has announced that he intends to play in 2025. However, Mack is a free agent this season, and he said he plans to test the free agent market.
Mack is still very much an elite pass rusher in the NFL. Two seasons ago, in 2023, Mack had 17 sacks on the season. This year, the number fell down to 6, but Mack is absolutely still an effective player in this league.
Back to the Chargers?
The Los Angeles Chargers and Jim Harbaugh have made it clear that they want Mack back. This is no surprise as Mack is a clear leader in the locker room and on the defensive side of the ball. However, Mack may not want to return to Los Angeles. If that is the case, which other teams could use Khalil Mack’s pass rushing services?
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons were actually close to making the NFL playoffs. It came down to the last week of the season, but ultimately the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South and clinched the number four seed. The Falcons saw offensive improvement when the team switched from quarterback Kirk Cousins to Michael Penix Jr. However, the defense continued to struggle, and the pass rush was a major reason why. The Falcons had the second least amount of sacks on the season with 31. Only the New England Patriots had less sacks. Enter Khalil Mack, a proven pass rusher who can still get to the quarterback. If the Falcons are willing to pay to get Mack, he would be a great fit to help boost Atlanta’s struggling defense.
Cincinnati Bengals
It is no secret that the Cincinnati Bengals missed the playoffs because of their defense. Ja’Marr Chase was the best wide receiver in the league this season, and quarterback Joe Burrow played at an MVP level. Trey Hendrickson was an absolutely elite edge rusher for the Bengals this season. He accumulated 17.5 sacks on the year. However, the team only had 36 sacks for the year, 25th in the league. Khalil Mack would form a borderline unstoppable duo next to Hendrickson if the Bengals want to pay for a 334-year-oldMack.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions dealt with numerous injuries on defense this season. This includes star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. However, the Lions defense is still much more of a concern than their offense is. Khalil Mack would provide elite leadership and pass rushing ability to a Lions defense that got exposed against the Washington Commanders. The Commanders scored 45 points, and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels had all day to throw in the pocket. The Washington offense was able to do whatever they wanted. Detroit may look to shore up their defense with a guy like Khalil Mack.
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
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