Khalil Mack is back in Los Angeles.
The 34-year-old edge rusher and three-time All-Pro is returning to the Chargers on a fully guaranteed one-year deal worth $18 million, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday. The team later announced Mack's return.
Though a short-term deal, Mack's return is a legitimate win for the Chargers as free agency approaches. Los Angeles had already cut Joey Bosa -- who simply wasn't available enough to be worth the remaining money on his contract -- and were facing a grim outlook at edge rusher had Mack decided to leave for greener pastures elsewhere. Instead of potentially returning to the NFC North, Mack has chosen to stay in Los Angeles, accepting a deal that pays him $1 million less than his 2024 salary but includes zero financial uncertainty.
A future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Mack was traded from Chicago to Los Angeles in March 2022, joining an AFC West that appeared to be loading up in an attempt to combat the dominance of the Kansas City Chiefs. The pairing with Bosa inspired visions of quarterback-harassing glory for Chargers fans who hoped they might finally have the antidote to Patrick Mahomes' magic.
Ultimately, the end result didn't quite match the dream. The regime that acquired Mack was fired after the 2023 season and their replacements (Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz) had to sell Mack on the idea of staying -- and taking a pay cut after racking up 17 sacks in 2023. To his credit (and in tandem with Bosa), Mack bought in, accepting the pay reduction in order to play with Bosa and pursue new goals under Harbaugh.
They accomplished some of them. Mack and Bosa finally played more than 10 games together in a season, the Chargers reached the playoffs as a gritty wild-card qualifier and it seemed Mack and Bosa had made the right decision in the 2024 offseason. It ended in disappointment -- a lopsided wild-card loss to Houston -- and the expectation the Chargers wouldn't keep both parts of their edge-rushing pair became reality when the Chargers cut Bosa last week.
Mack becomes the latest of a lengthy list of players who have found ways to remain with their most recent employer prior to officially reaching the negotiating window, which opens Monday. He'll prepare for his fourth season with the Chargers, making Los Angeles the third team with which Mack has spent four seasons over his 12-year career.
