The Buffalo Bills could be losing their chance to land an All-Pro linebacker with a hometown connection.
The Bills had been identified as one of the teams interested in landing Khalil Mack from the spiralling Los Angeles Chargers. The Bills had struggled on defense through the first four games of the season, and Mack could help steady the middle of the unit.
Another Frontrunner Emerges for Khalil Mack
But another team appears to be taking the lead on the Mack sweepstakes, which could leave the Bills to search for other targets.
As The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones reported, the Chicago Bears have emerged as the most likely landing spot for Mack.
“Again, it is still early, and I always caution against matching any player to any particular team a month before the deadline,” Jones wrote. “But Khalil Mack to Chicago is something multiple league sources told me makes the most sense if both teams continue on their respective trajectories.”
Mack, who first burst onto the national scene as a standout linebacker at the University of Buffalo, is on an expiring contract for an 0-4 Chargers team expected to make some moves ahead of the trade deadline.
Jones suggested he could be a strong fit for the Bears, who have close to $9 million in cap space and a need to bolster their pass rush.
“One GM and one assistant GM on different teams slotted Mack’s value as worthy of a fifth-round pick,” Jones wrote. “The Bears have one of those, but the Chargers have shown no interest in dealing any player just yet. Only one team in league history has started 0-4 and made the playoffs, and no team has started 0-5 and seen the postseason. How the Bolts fare against Payton’s Broncos could set things in motion.”
Bills May Need Other Changes on Defense
The Bills could still make some moves ahead of the NFL trade deadline, but may have other areas of focus. The team’s secondary has struggled, especially second-year cornerback Maxwell Hairston.
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia suggested the Bills could hand a bigger role to rookie Davison Igbinosun, taking some snaps away from Hairston against a dangerous Los Angeles Rams offense.
“I’d go with a 50-50 split through the first three quarters, let the best player prove it with his play and go with the superior player in a tight game in the fourth quarter,” Buscaglia wrote. “This specific matchup against a bigger, more physical duo of receivers calls for Igbinosun to have a bigger role than he did before Benford’s injury. What benefits the team most right now, given what we’ve seen, is Igbinosun getting more time to challenge Hairston for the job outright.”
Bills Get Significant Update on Khalil Mack Trade Rumors