Raiders report: Team has offered Khalil Mack a contract extension

The latest news out of the Bay Area has the Oakland Raiders ready to offer beast Khalil Mack a long-term contract extension for his superhuman efforts.

Through his first four years in the league with the Oakland Raiders, defensive end Khalil Mack has established himself as one of the premier defensive players in the league. It has quickly made him one of the cornerstone pieces of the franchises as their best player on the defensive side of the ball.

Mack is set to play in the fifth-year option of his rookie deal that will pay him $13.4 million for the 2018 season, which has heightened the importance of working out a new contract with him. According to Vic Tafur of the Athletic, the Raiders have begun that process by offering an extension.

I am told the #Raiders have made Khalil Mack an offer, and his side is looking it over. So process of locking up star pass rusher is well underway.

— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) February 28, 2018

Aside from addressing their issues in the secondary, one of the top priorities in the Raiders' agenda this offseason is working out a new deal with their star defensive end. He has earned the chance to possibly garner a contract that could make him one of the highest paid defensive players.

The 27-year-old is coming off yet another strong year posting 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. He has also earned 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.

Given his level of production and age, Mack could be in line to possibly challenge the five-year, $100 million deal that Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt received a few years ago. He has demonstrated to be a game-changing player that could single-handedly wreck an opposing team's game plan. It may just be a matter of time before the two sides work out a new extension that has him in a Raiders' uniform for the next several years.