Chargers Get Surprise Update on Khalil Mack Contract After Mike Williams Release
It was clear the Los Angeles Chargers were going to have to make some major moves on Wednesday to get their salary cap situation sorted out before the league year officially opened. That was going to have to involve at least a couple of Khalil Mack, Mike Williams, Keenan Allen and Joey Bosa.
The first domino fell on Wednesday afternoon when Williams was released, and fans were holding their breath to find out the fate of the star defenders.
Luckily the update on Mack is good news:
Eight-time Pro-Bowl DE and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack will remain a Los Angeles Charger this season and free up salary-cap space for the team by agreeing to restructure his deal, per sources. Mike Williams leaves, Mack stays. https://t.co/fiEAJVjN8n pic.twitter.com/PbnBt4pLzs
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2024
Chargers News; Khalil Mack Remains in Los Angeles With Contract Restructure
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Khalil Mack has restructured his contract with the Los Angeles Chargers in a move that will free up cap space and keep him in powder blue for 2024.
Mack was originally carrying a cap hit of $38.5 million for the year — the highest mark for a non-quarterback (and sixth-highest mark overall) in the NFL. This restructure will presumably move some of that cap hit to future "void years", so Mack will still become an unrestricted free agent next offseason and will continue to count against the Chargers' cap for another year or more.
Of course, Mack may not be the last domino to fall.
The #Chargers have four of the top 12 cap hits in the entire NFL. pic.twitter.com/kapmx9prLX
— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 13, 2024
If the Chargers are going to have any room to work under the cap this year, it's going to take a move with either Bosa or Allen still — and potentially both. This could be more restructures, but that starts to become a dangerous game.
If you push too much money into future void years it can really hurt your organization down the line. Releasing or trading the stars would still hurt with some big dead money against this year's salary cap, but it could be the smarter move long-term if the Chargers don't expect to be contenders in 2024.
Looking at their odds to win the AFC this season, you could really make the argument either way. Sitting at +1700 puts them right in the middle of the conference.
Shedding more playmakers would obviously cause those odds to tank, while a strong remainder of the offseason could make them legitimate threats to make a run out of a Wild Card berth.
Either way, Chargers fans have to feel pretty good about holding on to one of their team's most exciting playmakers on either side of the ball.
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