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San Francisco 49ers: Pros & Cons of trading for Raiders’ Khalil Mack

By Peter Panacy

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 13: Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders looks on during the second half of their NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals at O.co Coliseum on September 13, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 13: Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders looks on during the second half of their NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals at O.co Coliseum on September 13, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 09: Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders reacts after a play against the San Diego Chargers during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 9, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 09: Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders reacts after a play against the San Diego Chargers during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 9, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Pros of the 49ers Trading for Khalil Mack

As of now, the Niners’ two primary edge rushers are Cassius Marsh and Jeremiah Attaochu. Combined, the two have a total of 16 sacks over the last four seasons — just one more than Khalil Mack had in his 2015 campaign alone.

Khalil Mack Defense & Fumbles Table
Game Game Def Def Def Def Def Fumb Fumb Fumb Sack Sack Sack
Year Age Tm Pos G GS Int Yds TD Lng PD FF FR Yds Sk Tkl Ast
2014 23 OAK LB 16 16 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 4.0 59 16
2015*+ 24 OAK DE/lb 16 16 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 15.0 57 20
2016*+ 25 OAK DE 16 16 1 6 1 6 3 5 3 1 11.0 54 19
2017* 26 OAK DE 16 16 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 10.5 61 17
Care Care 64 64 1 6 1 6 11 9 4 1 40.5 231 72

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/2/2018.

Mack turned 27 years old last February, meaning he’s just now hitting the prime of his career.

Pro Football Focus ranked Mack the No. 7 overall player entering 2018. Putting things into perspective, that’s higher than Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (No. 10) and Denver Broncos EDGE Von Miller (No. 8).

The two most important positions on a football field are the quarterback and a top-tier pass-rusher. San Francisco has the first, Jimmy Garoppolo, but are yet to discover the second.

As a result, the Niners defense will likely struggle this season, unless a move is made or the Marsh-Attaochu tandem massively overachieves.

Unlike the Raiders, the 49ers are laden with cap space — over $42 million, to be exact — and could afford dishing out what will likely be a hefty contract extension to arguably the league’s best outside rusher.

It gets better.

Adding a player of Mack’s caliber would also free up San Francisco’s best defender, DeForest Buckner, whom PFF ranked the No. 43 overall player entering 2018.

Buckner’s pass-rush ability has been hindered by the lack of an edge rush, and his mere three sacks last season are a testament to that, despite his 52 quarterback pressures last season. All an opposing QB has to do is move to either side.

It wouldn’t happen if Mack was converging from the other end.