Chargers Receive Massive Khalil Mack Trade Update on Sunday

The Los Angeles Chargers entered the 2026 season with hopes of building on recent progress, yet six games in they sit at 0-6, the worst start the franchise has endured in years.

That reality has sharpened focus on the trade deadline of November 10, and few names draw more attention around the league than edge rusher Khalil Mack.

At 35 and playing on a fully guaranteed one-year, $18 million deal without a no-trade clause, Mack remains productive enough to interest contenders while carrying the kind of résumé that could return meaningful draft capital if the Chargers choose to sell.

Chicago has emerged as the most logical landing spot.

The Bears, sitting at 5-2 and pushing for the NFC North, just completed a blockbuster acquisition of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Titans in exchange for two first-round picks and a 2027 fourth-rounder.

On NFL GameDay Morning, Ian Rapoport noted that Chicago may not be finished, still calling around the league while looking to upgrade on the edges.

He specifically said he would not be surprised if a Khalil Mack trade was part of the conversation, framing it as a possible reunion.

That would close a circle for Mack, who spent four productive seasons in Chicago from 2018 to 2021 before the Bears dealt him to Los Angeles.

From the Chargers’ vantage point, the calculus is uncomfortable but clear. Mack has three sacks and solid pressure numbers through six games, ranking respectably among edge defenders by advanced metrics, yet the team’s playoff odds have effectively vanished.

General manager Joe Hortiz has so far held firm, telling interested clubs that Mack is not available, a stance that has frustrated potential buyers. Mack himself has publicly dismissed the noise, insisting he is still ring-chasing in Los Angeles and focused only on the next game.

That loyalty is admirable, but the contract structure leaves the organization in control. If the losses continue in the next two weeks against the Rams and Texans, the practical case for moving him strengthens.

A deal with the Bears would not command the haul Chicago just paid for Simmons, given Mack’s age and expiring contract, but a quality Day 3 pick has been floated as realistic range by multiple evaluators.

For a franchise staring at a rebuild, that return could help restock the edge or secondary while clearing cap space.

Holding onto Mack preserves a proven leader for a young defense that has struggled to generate consistent pressure, yet it also risks watching an aging asset walk for nothing in free agency next spring.

With the deadline less than two weeks away and Chicago already signaling continued interest, the Chargers face a decision that will define how aggressively they confront the realities of a lost season.