Every single team is hoping to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in 2024, but each organization will have a slightly different path to reaching that goal. The Los Angeles Chargers, for instance, are well over the salary cap and need to shed some veteran talent. The Detroit Lions, on the other hand, have money to burn and need to improve their near-nonexistent pass rush. These two needs could come together to create a Khalil Mack trade.
At least, that’s what Brad Speilberger of Pro Football Focus recently proposed. In his latest article, the NFL analyst suggested that the Chargers trade Khalil Mack to the Lions as a way to dump salary and pick up an extra 2025 fourth-round pick.
“This will be a tough needle to thread, much like DeAndre Hopkins last offseason, with the Arizona Cardinals ultimately having to just release the veteran wideout despite other teams having clear interest in his services…Mack’s 2024 salary is exorbitant for a 33-year-old edge defender, even one coming off as strong a season as Mack’s 2023 campaign.”
Blockbuster Khalil Mack Trade Proposed Between Chargers, Lions
Would The Lions, Chargers Do This?
Generally speaking, whenever you see a trade like this go down, it usually involves a contender acquiring a star veteran from a team about to enter a long rebuild. While the Lions are contenders, the Chargers probably aren’t rebuilding. Even though the team finished with a 5-12 record, they have Justin Herbert and an established head coach in Jim Harbaugh . This team wants to win now, and they’re not going to trade Khalil Mack if they can help it.
Unfortunately, they might not be able to help it. Los Angeles is well over the salary cap, and while Corey Linsley’s restructure will help the team, they still need to make a few key moves. Khalil Mack currently carries a $38.5 million cap hit, but that number drops down to $15.26 million if the Chargers trade him. Considering he’s in the final year of his contract, Los Angeles might decide that he’s not worth the cap space.
The Lions, meanwhile, have the financial flexibility to easily trade for Khalil Mack. The team currently has over $48.12 million in cap space and can afford to take on a bloated contract like Mack’s. After coming THIS close to making the Super Bowl, Detroit should be all-in on finally getting to the game’s biggest stage. Mack can help the Lions accomplish this goal, as pairing him with Aidan Hutchinson will create one of the best duos in the game.
Ways To Avoid A Khalil Mack Trade
Ultimately, the biggest issue here is going to be the money. The Chargers won’t want to trade Khalil Mack, but they can’t ignore their current financial predicament. At the end of the day, the Chargers will move on from their expensive veteran if they have to, but there are other ways to clear cap space.
Wide receivers Mike Williams and Keenan Allen carry cap hits of $32.46 million and $34.7 million, respectively, while fellow edge rusher Joey Bosa has a $36.6 million cap hit. Williams and Allen are entering the final years of their contracts, and Bosa is under contract through the 2025 season.
If the Chargers want to avoid a Khalil Mack trade, the first thing they could do is release Mike Williams and save $20 million in cap space. Seeing as the former first-round pick is on the wrong side of 30 and uses a violent playing style that invites contact, Los Angeles will probably part ways with the veteran. Allen has an injury history of his own, but he’s too important to let go. The Chargers could extend him and save upwards of $17.5 million.
This alone should be enough to let the Chargers avoid a Khalil Mack trade, but if they need more breathing room, they could always restructure Bosa’s deal. Per OverTheCap, Los Angeles could save up to $10.39 million by doing this.
Of course, the Chargers could also choose to extend Khalil Mack, rather than trade him. While this could create issues down the line, it would create up to $17.63 million in cap space.
Chances are, the Chargers could utilize some combination of these options to create the cap space required to not trade Khalil Mack. However, if money becomes an issue, Spielberger’s proposal makes sense for both sides.
Main Photo: Orlando Ramirez – USA Today Sports
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