The San Francisco 49ers have already been busy on the trade front, adding defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and wide receiver Keenan Allen from the Indianapolis Colts.
And they might not be done.
Fresh off a five-turnover win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the 49ers sit atop the NFC with the conference’s No. 1 seed within reach. But one name has hovered over San Francisco’s deadline plans for nearly a month: Los Angeles Chargers pass-rusher Khalil Mack.
For weeks, the Chargers insisted Mack wasn’t going anywhere. However, that stance appears to be softening with just hours to go before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.
Chargers Crack the Door Open on Khalil Mack Trade
The Chargers have spent the last few weeks turning teams away, even as their season spiraled to 0-8 following a blowout loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh shut down the idea of moving Mack last week.
“I want Khalil Mack here,” Harbaugh said. “Khalil Mack wants to be here. He’s one of the pillars of our team.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that the Chargers were still telling teams they had no interest in trading the future Hall of Famer.
That might change now.
“Sources: The #Chargers have been more receptive to trading players over the last 24 hours,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz posted on X. “Khalil Mack is still considered a long shot, but other expiring contract players are available if the offer makes sense.”
Mack, 35, is in the final year of his contract and set to hit free agency after the season. And on Monday, Harbaugh said general manager Joe Hortiz is “pursuing and active” at the deadline.
“Long shot” is still the operative phrase.
But it’s a lot more than teams were getting from Los Angeles a week ago. And the 49ers — along with the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions — have been tabbed as possible fits for the nine-time Pro Bowler.
Why Mack Makes Sense for the 49ers
The 49ers’ interest in Mack goes all the way up to the locker room.
Last month, GM John Lynch revealed on KNBR that tight end George Kittle had asked him about the possibility of acquiring Mack. Lynch didn’t seem too surprised.
Kittle didn’t deny it either.
“He didn’t really give me a lot yesterday, but me, Juice, Trent, we all chirp him just to see if he’ll actually tell us anything,” Kittle said. “I think he tells Trent the most, not me.”
It’s easy to understand why Kittle wants Mack in the building.
The 49ers finished with a league-low 20 sacks last season. This year hasn’t been much better (15 sacks, tied for 20th). Nick Bosa returned against the Raiders after missing five games with calf and knee injuries, but he still doesn’t have a sack this season. San Francisco’s defensive line didn’t record one on Sunday either.
Mack has three sacks, six QB hits, and five tackles for loss in seven games. Those numbers are a far cry from his career-high 17-sack season in 2023, but his three sacks would still rank near the top of a 49ers defense where Keion White leads the way with 3.5.
The Chargers are 0-8, and Mack’s contract expires at season’s end. If Hortiz decides to cash in on a rental before 4 p.m. ET, a 7-1 contender with a pass-rush problem is the kind of team that can make it worth his while.
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