The Los Angeles Chargers exceeded expectations once again in 2025, as Jim Harbaugh got his team back to the playoffs despite a lot of key injuries and some glaring holes on the roster.
The Chargers dealt with a major weakness on the offensive line after injuries to star tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, along with key injuries to running backs Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton. They did that not only with the stellar play of quarterback Justin Herbert, but also by winning games with their defense. Jesse Minter was the biggest part of that, but the play of veteran edge rusher Khalil Mack also had a big impact.
At nearly 35 years old, Mack isn’t the game-wrecking force that he once was back in his prime when he won the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year with the Raiders and nearly won it again in 2018 with the Bears. However, he is still a quality pass rusher and is great against the run. In 2025, Mack racked up 5.5 sacks, six tackles for loss and four forced fumbles in just 12 games.
Now, Mack is a free agent and the Chargers will have to decide if they want to pay up to keep him in Los Angeles for another year. Where could the former top five pick land in free agency?
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens’ defense started off as a liability in 2025, but Baltimore’s defense really turned things around as the season went on. An injury to Kyle Hamilton hurt this unit in its final loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but there is no question the talent is there on this roster to make a big leap and be a truly elite unit in 2026.
The hire of Minter as Baltimore’s new head coach to replace John Harbuagh should only supercharge that unit. Minter obviously worked with Mack for the last two seasons in Los Angeles and the two had a lot of success together, so this makes sense as a landing spot for Mack in free agency.
From a personnel perspective, edge rusher is probably Baltimore’s biggest need coming into this offseason, especially after trading Odafe Oweh to the Chargers midseason. Minter is known as a master of maximizing his personnel after taking a undermanned Chargers defense and turning it into a top 10 unit last season. Adding Mack to a unit that already includes stars like Hamilton could turn this into a buzzsaw in 2026.
Los Angeles Chargers
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Of course, the Chargers would love to keep Mack around this offseason if possible after he formed a formidable edge group with Oweh and Tuli Tuipulotu during the back half of the season. The scheme will obviously be different next season, but new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary has worked under Minter before, so there will be some familiarity there.
Unfortunately for Los Angeles, there is a world out there where this defense takes a big step back without Minter next season because of what it lacks on the personnel front, even if O’Leary ends up being a quality defensive coordinator. Bringing Mack back would give the Chargers someone who can play all three downs against both the run and pass, which would be a big boost. Having him back in the locker room would be a big plus as well.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are in a bit of a weird spot after missing out on the playoffs in 2025, in large part due to their shortcomings on defense. Injuries in the secondary were costly for Todd Bowles and company played a big part in that, but the lack of a pass rush was a big reason why opposing quarterbacks were able to have their way with the Tampa Bay defense.
The Bucs finished third in the NFL in pressure rate this season, but that’s a bit of a misleading number. It’s no secret that Bowles loves to bring blitzes, and he did that at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL in 2025. When the Buccaneers didn’t blitz, their pressure rate dropped to 10th in the NFL, and they finished with the 18th-highest sack rate in the league on those plays according to Next Gen Stats.
Mack isn’t a game-wrecker as a pass rusher like he used to be, but he is still capable of getting home on a consistent basis without the help of the blitz and can challenge for double-digit sacks if he is healthy all season. It’s unlikely that Bowles ever fully abandons his blitz-heavy style, but having Mack up front would give him the ability to hold back a bit and keep more guys in converge if the situation calls for it.
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