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The Oakland Raiders and superstar pass rusher Khalil Mack have been at a contract impasse for months now, and it doesn't appear there will be a resolution any time soon. The best thing for both sides may be a trade, and there are a few teams who could swing a deal for the former Defensive Player of the Year. Mack is a fantastic player, but there are many things to consider for an inquiring team.
The first order of business is to determine what Mack is worth. How much is a team willing to give up?
Mack turned 27 in February and is in his physical prime. He is entering his fifth season in the league and has 40.5 career sacks. He has made the Pro Bowl three times and has been an All-Pro twice. Mack is one of the most dominant defenders in football, which is why it's so odd that the Raiders have allowed his contract situation to progress to where it is now.
Aside from quarterback, pass rusher is the most valuable position on the field, and Mack is one of the best. He certainly deserves to be one of the NFL's highest-paid players but Oakland doesn't seem interested in making him one.
So, the Raiders have two options remaining. The first is to allow Mack to remain on the did not report list, and while they wouldn't have to pay him, the situation would be a massive distraction for the team. With head coach Jon Gruden garnering enough attention already, another distraction is the last thing Oakland needs.
The second option is to trade him. According to reports, the Raiders are seeking two first-round picks in negotiations. This is an extremely high price, but it isn't ridiculous given the context. Before the draft, the New England Patriots traded wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams for a first-round pick.
Cooks is a solid player, but he has never made a Pro Bowl. Mack is clearly a much better player, and plays a more valuable position. Draft picks, even first rounders, aren't at all guaranteed to pan out. Just ask every single team in the league. Giving up two first-round selections would be tough, but in return, a team would get an elite EDGE in the prime of his career.
The capital required to trade for Mack is not the only cost a team would need to endure. Mack is holding out because he wants a new contract, and if a team is going to give up two premium draft picks to land him, they will need to sign him to a long-term contract.
There is precedent for a fair contract for Mack. Von Miller, a comparable player, signed a four-year, $114.5 million contract prior to the 2016 season. For Mack, six years, $120 million should be enough to get a deal done, or perhaps a little more.
He is worth it, but $20 million per year is a very high number. With the salary cap at $178 million for the 2018 season, Mack would be taking up, at minimum, 11 percent of a team's cap space.
Interested teams should either have the draft capital necessary to complete a trade, the cap space to sign Mack to a new contract, or be one piece from contending for a championship. The ideal landing spot would meet all three criteria, but that's very difficult for a team to do.
With that said, here are five teams who could make the blockbuster move for Khalil Mack.
5. Khalil Mack to Browns?
The Cleveland Browns made two of the biggest moves of the 2018 offseason when they traded for Jarvis Landry and Tyrod Taylor. While not exactly Super Bowl contenders after going 0-16 a year ago, Cleveland is primed for a dramatic turnaround.
A great way to help with that would be to add an All-Pro pass rusher to play opposite of 2017 first-overall pick Myles Garrett. With a revamped secondary and a terrifying pash rush, the Browns would likely have a top-five defense.
When Taylor led the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs last year, he did it by taking advantage of a great rushing attack and a defense that was good, but not great. Perhaps the Browns would find similar success with Mack. They have $61 million in cap space currently, which is $10 million more than the second-place Indianapolis Colts.
However, for only the second time since 2012, Cleveland has only one first-round pick in the upcoming draft. They own all of their own selections in addition to New England's third and Jacksonville's seventh. Would general manager John Dorsey be comfortable giving up multiple high-round picks for Mack? We will have to wait to find out.
4. Khalil Mack to Chargers?
The Los Angeles Chargers have the least amount of cap space of the five teams on this list, but if they can find a way to create enough room to land Mack, look out. Los Angeles has a solid offense, but their defense is a special unit.
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The linebacking corps is solid but the weak spot of the defense. The line includes Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, who combined for 23 sacks last year. And the secondary, with Casey Hayward, Trevor Williams, Jahleel Addae, Desmond King, and Derwin James, is one of the league's best. Add Mack as an outside linebacker and it becomes impossible for an offense to protect their QB from three of the league's best pass rushers. Of course, they may have to pay a premium for Mack given the Raiders play within their division.
3. Khalil Mack to Falcons?
Just two years removed from having a Super Bowl slip through their fingers, the Atlanta Falcons are missing something. Their high-powered offense can score on anyone, and their defense doesn't have any major holes, but it also doesn't have a superstar.
Desmond Trufant and Deion Jones are the unit's top players, but neither are part of the elite groups at their position. Adding Mack would force opposing offenses to gameplan specifically for one player, leaving Vic Beasley and Takk McKinley more room to operate.
With Mack, the Falcons may be Super Bowl favorites. Like the Chargers, Atlanta doesn't have much cap space, but because they are in win-now mode, giving up draft capital may not hurt as much for them as other teams.
2.Khalil Mack to Jets?
The New York Jets' defense is not what it used to be. Stalwart pass rushers Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson are gone, leaving a void on the defensive line. Using their $21 million in cap space to lock down Mack is something that must be considered, but it may be difficult to come up with enough resources to make a deal happen.
New York's 2019 second-rounder is owned by the Colts as part of the trade that landed the Jets Sam Darnold. The New Orleans Saints did give New York a 2019 third-round selection for Teddy Bridgewater, so that leaves New York with two. It may not be likely, but Mack in a Jets uniform would greatly improve that defense and make life easier for their rookie QB.
1. Khalil Mack to Packers?
Perhaps the best landing spot for Mack is with the Green Bay Packers. The offense is led by the best QB in football in Aaron Rodgers, and the defense should be much improved after an active offseason. Still, Mack could be the final piece to the puzzle. With Mack immediately starting at OLB, either Nick Perry or Clay Matthews would be moved inside.
Green Bay may have the best shot at getting Mack, as they own New Orleans' first-round pick in 2019, giving them two day-one selections. Cap space will be the issue, as they are at just under $11 million free at the moment.
But, rumor has it that the Packers are trying to trade Randall Cobb, who has a $12 million cap hit this season. Moving him would clear up exactly enough money to extend Mack for five or six years. That timeframe also happens to align with possibly the final years of Aaron Rodgers' career. This makes too much sense not to happen.
