One of the NFL’s most accomplished pass rushers could be an option for the Carolina Panthers before the trade deadline. He would immediately fill a need for the Carolina Panthers’ defense. But acquiring Khalil Mack would not be easy for Dan Morgan and the Panthers’ front office.
At 35 years old, Mack is still one of the better pass rushers in the NFL. But the Panthers would need more than just his ability to get to the quarterback over the next couple of months.
What Would It Cost Carolina to Get Khalil Mack?
According to reports, the Los Angeles Chargers have not shown interest in trading Mack. The team has reportedly refused to trade several of its veteran players, including Mack, who is in the final year of his contract with the team.
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that he wants Khalil Mack to stay with the team for the rest of the season and believes the veteran pass rusher wants to stay in Los Angeles as well.
But, as with most things in the NFL, situations can change quickly. Mack is in the final year of his contract, and the Chargers could receive something in return for the pass rusher rather than risk losing him in free agency.
NFL.com suggested that an early Day 3 draft pick could be a fair return for Mack’s services. This would likely involve a fourth-round pick being traded for the veteran pass rusher, although it is unclear whether the Chargers would be willing to make such a deal.
While a fourth-round pick would be worth considering for the Panthers, Carolina still has a number of holes to fill and they can’t afford to give away another draft pick for a player who will likely only play in a few games for the team.
A fifth-round pick would be more appropriate for a player of Mack’s age and current contract situation, though that might not be enough to convince the Chargers to make a deal.
Mack’s Contract Could Be Another Problem
The cost to acquire Mack would also include his contract, which is one year and $18 million. Carolina has very little cap space for the current season, according to Over the Cap, leaving Morgan with little financial flexibility to make a deal.
As Over the Cap reports, Mack’s contract with the Chargers is for one year and $18 million. He has an $8 million base salary for the season, and a $10 million signing bonus that the Chargers have already paid. The acquiring team would be on the hook for the remaining unpaid portion of Mack’s base salary for the season.
The amount of the unpaid portion of Mack’s base salary that the acquiring team would be responsible for could be several million dollars. This would likely be too much for the Panthers to handle given their current cap situation of less than $1 million.
Perhaps the Chargers would pay some of the remaining salary before a trade. Perhaps the Panthers can make some moves with some of the players on their roster to free up some space. But those are both big ifs.
Of course, giving up a draft pick for a player to help immediately is one thing. Giving up that pick and then having to make salary cap-related moves to get the player on the field is another.
In addition to acquiring a veteran pass rusher, Carolina would be acquiring a player who can become a free agent at the end of the season. Thus, Carolina would be spending money and draft picks for a short period of time to acquire a veteran pass rusher.
Would Mack Make Enough of a Difference?
He would be able to give the Panthers another option to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks, even if they aren’t sending extra defenders to the quarterback. This would also allow other players to create pressure on the quarterback, as Mack would draw a lot of attention to the edge.
Mack has three sacks in his seven games this season for the Chargers. While his numbers may not be great, his presence on the field creates opportunities for his teammates and can force opposing offenses to change their game plan.
This would be particularly important for the Panthers right now, as they are suffering from a rash of injuries in the secondary. To have more players up front able to put pressure on the quarterback would allow for the cornerbacks to have more time to cover receivers downfield.
He can also bring a lot of leadership to a young team and help them to prepare for the big games.
But can Mack turn the Panthers’ defense around? No, because he would have to learn the team’s defense and adapt to his teammates. This would have to happen in short order because of Todd Wash taking over as the team’s interim defensive coordinator.
Is Khalil Mack Worth the Gamble for the Panthers?
The Panthers are still building their roster and need to acquire several positions through the draft over the next couple of years.
Mack would be a great addition to the Panthers’ defense and Morgan should consider making a trade for the veteran pass rusher if the Chargers are willing to part with him for a fifth-round pick and some of his remaining salary.
A fourth-round pick would be more difficult to justify as the Panthers would need to believe that Mack would provide enough immediate impact to warrant the loss of another draft pick, possibly to be used on a younger player down the road.
If the Chargers want more than a fourth-round pick for Mack then Carolina would be better off looking for help elsewhere and keeping their draft picks.
The biggest issue with trying to trade for Mack is that Los Angeles head coach Jim Harbaugh has already said that he wants the veteran pass rusher to stay with the Chargers for the remainder of the season.
He is a big name and would be a great addition to the team but Morgan must not get caught up in chasing a big name and must make sure that the price is right for a team that is still trying to get better.
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