Before the start of the 2026 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns were certainly on the lookout for pass-rushing depth, having traded away superstar Myles Garrett and seeing Alex Wright go down with an injury. That’s 29 sacks from last year, gone. The team brought in Za’Darius Smith and Jadeveon Clowney as veteran options, but both turned them down to sign elsewhere, Smith in Atlanta and Clowney in Houston. The Browns wound up bringing in former Eagles star Derek Barnett and getting Sam Williams off of waivers.
The Browns defense has been dramatically improved since the Week 1 drubbing at the hands of the Jaguars, but there is still a need for help at the edge rusher position (all over the defensive front, really). And if the Browns still have an interest in beefing up the rusher room, there could be an intriguing player on the trade market: 35-year-old, 13-year veteran Khalil Mack, who is toiling with the 0-4 Chargers this season.
Khalil Mack a 3-Time All-Pro
Mack has a monster resume, of course. He has been on nine Pro Bowl teams and has been a first-team All-Pro three times. He has amassed 116.0 sacks in his career, including 3.0 this year. He is no doubt on the back nine of his career, and bringing him in would signal that the Browns are taking their fast start seriously and are aiming at the playoffs.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com was asked about a potential Mack trade to the Browns on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland.
She says she sees the sense in it: “I have seen that speculated. I don’t know, I haven’t really figured that one out yet, but I would certainly explore something like that. And I know the Browns always do explore opportunities to add really good veterans to their football team, so I don’t know if they have talked about Khalil—well, I am sure they have talked about Kahlil. I don’t know if they are going to make an attempt to acquire him or not.
“But I would probably go ahead and give that a whirl considering that you are in the playoff hunt right now and you can use some more edge rush help.”
Browns Could Afford to Give Up a Pick
Of course, the deciding factor on making that kind of move is what it will cost. The Browns would have to find room for Mack’s contract, but because $10 million of that was in a signing bonus, Cleveland would eat only about $6 million in cap room in a deal.
Mack’s advanced age would mean the team probably would not have to give up too much in compensation--Spotrac projects Mack to warrant a fourth-round pick in a trade package, or a fifth-rounder if the Browns took on all of Mack’s remaining money.
That would be an easy price to pay: The Browns have three fourth-rounders and two fifth-rounders in 2027.
Browns Floated as Trade Suitor for 116-Sack All-Pro