Beyond the plethora of moves made this NFL offseason to add more stability to the roster, the focus around the Oakland Raiders has been on the contract situation with All-Pro defensive end Khalil Mack. There has been a lack of progress toward a new deal that has created a bit of uncertainty to when things will get hammered out with the start of training camp quickly approaching.
With that in mind, head coach Jon Gruden has voiced that the team will find a way to get their star pass rusher back in the fold before the start of next season, according to Matt Kawahara of SFGate.com.
“And we’re going to find a way to get Khalil Mack back, too,” Gruden said, referencing the star edge rusher who has been absent all offseason amid contract negotiations. “You’ll see.”
Mack is currently in the fifth-year option of his rookie deal that is worth $13.4 million for the 2018 season, which has him on pace to become a free agent next summer where he could fetch a lucrative deal from the Raiders or another team. He has established himself as one of the top defensive players in the league and premier pass rushers.
In his first four seasons in the NFL, he has established himself as one of the premier defensive players. Mack is also coming off another impressive 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.
With the start of the 2018 season quickly approaching just over a month away, it could heighten the contract talks between both sides to finally get a new extension in place to keep Mack with the Raiders for the long haul.
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