Breaking down the Chargers’ trade for edge defender Khalil Mack.
In a league where passing the football has become a premium, especially in a division that features Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and now Broncos’ Russell Wilson, disrupting the timing and rhythm is essential.
That is why the Chargers general manager Tom Telesco wasted no time bringing in one of the best pass rushers in the league to pair with another of the same caliber, as they made a trade with the Bears for Khalil Mack to join forces with Joey Bosa.
The best part of this trade? It did not cost Los Angeles an arm and a leg, as a second-round pick this year and a sixth-round selection next year was the compensation.
The Bolts were entering this offseason with a need at edge defender, given that Uchenna Nwosu and Kyler Fackrell are currently pending free agents.
While Nwosu earned the right to be re-signed and very well could be brought back if the price is right, head coach Brandon Staley wanted to bring in the cream of the crop as he looks to build the defense he envisions.
Staley is very familiar with Mack, having coached Chicago’s outside linebackers during the 2018 season. That year, Mack enjoyed a solid campaign, finishing with 68 pressures, 48 hurries, and 12.5 sacks.
When being introduced as head coach at Staley’s presser, he said he gained a lot of confidence from coaching Mack.
Between his time with the Raiders and Bears, Mack has a resume that includes the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, three All-Pro selections, six Pro Bowl nods, and four straight years with double-digit sacks from 2015 through 2018.
Mack was limited to just seven games this past season as a foot injury put him on the injured reserve. Still, the 30-year old managed to produce 22 pressures and six sacks.
Last season, Los Angeles ranked 19th in pressure rate overall, and on third-and-longs, the team ranked 25th in pressure rate. Now, with Mack’s explosive power and burst and Bosa’s athleticism and hand usage to threaten blockers, these numbers should improve drastically.
As for the rest of the position group, the Chargers will return second-year Chris Rumph II, who happened to work with Mack heading into his rookie season. The other spot will need to be filled, with Nwosu being a candidate to be re-signed, or they could choose to fill it in free agency or the draft.
