Even a 0-7 record can’t change the Los Angeles Chargers‘ trade stance.
Khalil Mack isn’t going anywhere.
With under 96 hours left before the deadline clock hits zero, every trade pitch advises LA to make the logical choice and pick up the phone for a Khalil Mack deal. Despite all that, they’re far from budging and caching in a 35-year-old veteran pick who’s going to hit the free agency market after this season anyways.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport report that the Chargers are “maintaining” their firm stance on selling their players ahead of the deadline.
Chargers Say Firm ‘No’ To Khalil Mack Trade: Report
“Despite their 0-7 record, the Los Angeles Chargers continue to tell teams that they have no interest in trading Khalil Mack, and the veteran pass rusher will not be going anywhere before Tuesday’s deadline, according to sources,” Schefter and Rapoport write.
“I want Khalil Mack here,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters last week. “Khalil Mack wants to be here.”
While the front office acts like business is booming, Mack’s own response to the trade noise tells a far more complicated story. When pressed on the endless deadline chatter following LA’s latest loss, the 9x Pro Bowler offered a classic coach-speak dodge.
“You’ve got to be where your feet are, man, ultimately. That can be the most difficult thing when you’re dealing with a lot of outside noise… Just trying to be where your feet are at all times.”
But the real deal is what he said between the lines. Or more particularly, what he didn’t say. Mack never shut down any trade rumors, nor did he declare his undying loyalty to a winless squad.
Sources and reports around the league have dropped hints that the 34-year-old pass rusher isn’t thrilled to be wasting his final prime years on a 0-7 team in a full-blown tailspin.
For a legendary defender hunting a ring, “keeping his feet where they are” sounds less like a commitment to the Chargers and more like a guy waiting on his front office to do the logical thing and set him free.
It wasn’t that the Chargers didn’t have any buyers, either. Pass-rush-needy teams like the Chicago Bears were knocking at their front-office door non-stop, eager to cash in on a deal and milk the Khalil Mack reunion narrative for weeks.
However, the Chargers stuck to their stubborn stance.
Not just Khalil Mack, but Chargers Turned Down Other Trades too
Their stance isn’t just about Mack, though. Another way to look at it is that the Chargers are not giving up in a situation that would instantly crumble any other team. 0 wins after 8 weeks, and the Chargers are still believing that they will turn the season around, and they need their players for it.
That’s why Schefter and Rapoport added that GM Joe Hortiz has turned down offers for not just Mack, but also Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey.
“The Chargers have prioritized keeping Mack for the leadership he provides and the talent he brings, characterizing him as a pillar of the organization. They might be winless, but they are not acting that way in any trade discussions regarding any of their players,” Schefter and Rapoport added.
“The Chargers also don’t like the message of giving up on the season. Calls from rival general managers on Justin Herbert, Ladd McConkey, and others have received hard nos.”
Chargers Make Final Call on Khalil Mack Trade Ahead of Deadline: Report