The NFL trade deadline is less than a month away, and the San Francisco 49ers are going to have a lot of rumors swirling around them. General manager John Lynch confirmed the team is making calls, and he even mentioned that star tight end George Kittle asked him whether Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack was available.
A trade for Mack makes all the sense in the world. The Niners are 5-0 while the Chargers are 0-5, an outcome that seemed unimaginable back in August when Los Angeles dominated San Francisco in a joint practice. Oh, how things can change.
The Chargers will likely be sellers at the trade deadline unless they turn things around quickly. But if they do decide to offload players, Mack makes complete sense as a trade candidate. It was recently reported that he does not have a no-trade clause, and the 35-year-old is playing on a one-year, $18 million contract.
49ers' mock trade for Khalil Mack would provide the ultimate depth piece
Here's a mock trade that would bring Mack to the 49ers: Chargers trade Khalil Mack to the 49ers in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
That seems like fair compensation. Mack may not be the All-Pro threat he was earlier in his career, but he is still effective. He has three sacks already on the season and would be a great player to have on the defensive line opposite Nick Bosa, who seems to be trending in the right direction with his injury.
Mack wouldn't need to be an every-down edge rusher in San Francisco. He could rotate into the mix with Mykel Williams, Keion White, and others, which would take the stress off of everyone and bolster the defensive line.
Trades for edge rushers have not always worked out for San Francisco. Back in 2023, the Niners traded a third-round pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for Chase Young. While he wasn't terrible, he was not the transformative defensive piece that San Francisco was hoping for.
The hope is that Mack would be a different story. He's a veteran, whereas Young was fairly green at the time. Therefore, Mack would be able to jump right in and have an immediate impact. He could be the missing piece that takes San Francisco's defense from good to great, so Lynch should take Kittle's advice and make the trade happen.
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