Khalil Mack has demonstrated himself to be one of the top edge rushers in the NFL throughout his career, highlighted by his nine Pro Bowls and several All-Pro selections. However, one thing that has eluded him is a Super Bowl.
Mack completed the last year of his deal with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024 and now has a chance to enter the free-agent market, where he is expected to attract significant interest.
However, Mack will not simply sign with anyone. At this point in his career (he has recently turned 34), Mack will seek to join a Super Bowl contender. Maybe he regards the Chargers as one of those teams following a notable 11-6 season and will just re-sign with them.
If that’s not the case, other suitors will seek his skills, with one potential team being the Detroit Lions, who have been an outstanding team for several years but have regrettably not achieved their Super Bowl goals. One factor contributing to this has been the defense.
In a recent piece identifying potential destinations for several prominent free agents in 2025, Jon Santucci from Treasure Coast Newspapers identified the Lions as a possible fit for Mack.
“The Lions were bruised by the conclusion of last season and experienced an unexpectedly early departure from the playoffs,” Santucci noted. “Aidan Hutchinson will return in 2025, but an additional edge rusher is needed on the opposite side.”
From a technical standpoint, the Lions possess another edge rusher on the opposite side in Za’Darius Smith, though he is signed for just one more season. Regardless of whether the Lions retain Smith, they require additional depth.
Although Mack may not be the ideal long-term fix the Lions require, he would serve as a temporary solution alongside Aidan Hutchinson. Furthermore, with Smith’s versatility to move inside, the Lions could accommodate all three players, creating a significantly powerful pass rush, even stronger than what they had in 2024.
At 34, Mack may no longer be the top edge rusher he used to be, yet he’s just a year past a 17-sack season, and there’s a strong possibility he’ll increase his sack total (six in 2024) while playing alongside Hutchinson.
Spotrac predicts that Mack will sign a three-year, $70 million contract in free agency; however, considering his recent performance and age, we believe the deal will likely be shorter and for a lower amount.
If the Lions aim to make a big move and secure Mack with a short-term contract, they have the financial resources to achieve that. Detroit currently has $51 million in salary cap space as free agency begins.
We truly hope to witness the Lions fully commit and execute a trade for Cleveland Browns star edge rusher Myles Garrett, but acquiring Mack would be quite an impressive backup option.