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The Oakland Raiders have undergone an offseason of much change on the roster in hopes of pushing them back into the playoff picture next season. What has remained on the docket throughout the process has been star defensive end Khalil Mack's contract situation.
The 27-year-old is set to enter the fifth-year option of his rookie contract worth $13.4 million for the 2018 campaign. According to Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network, this has already led to Mack deciding to be a no-show at the team's first organized workouts under new head coach Jon Gruden on Monday.
#Raiders star pass-rusher Khalil Mack is not in the building as Jon Gruden begins offseason conditioning today, team sources say. That’s unusual for Mack, who does not have a long-term deal. Of note: Mack has the same agent as Trumaine Johnson, who just played 2 years on the tag.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 9, 2018
The fact that Mack hasn't gone this route before should draw some attention toward his current contract situation with the Raider. There is a clear desire for him to get a new extension worked out at some point this offseason before his fifth season gets underway.
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Mack has put together four highly productive years in his first four seasons in the NFL, where he has established himself as one of the premier defensive players. He is coming off another strong campaign where he had a team-high 10.5 sacks, which made him the fifth player in team history to record at least 10 sacks in three different seasons. His 40.5 sacks through his first four years are the third-most by a player over that stretch in Raiders’ history and fifth-most all-time.
Mack has also garnered three Pro Bowl selections, two First-Team All-Pro nods, and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He is the first player to earn All-Pro honors at two different positions. He has put together a resume that would certainly put him in the conversation to land a deal that makes him potentially the highest-paid defensive player in the league.
There was chatter previously this offseason that the two sides were progressing toward a new deal, but that has since quieted down. With Mack taking this action, it could once again push the Raiders to secure their defensive star in place for the long haul.
