Khalil

Mack

Mack briefly pondered retirement this offseason after 12 years at the professional level. The one-year contract is fully guaranteed and brings him back to the Chargers for a 13th season after playing for the franchise for the previous four years. Mack’s 113.0 career sacks currently are tied for 29th in NFL history, a mark he looks to improve upon on his new one-year deal.

Mack is set to enter free agency next week. Fowler notes that Mack would likely prefer to sign another one-year deal, and “could go back to the Chargers,” but he believes Mack is “open for business.” Adding a capable edge defender to an already-elite unit is an exciting prospect for the recent Super Bowl LX champions.

Mack, 35, is set to hit free agency next month, but Rapoport reports the veteran pass-rusher “is a priority” for the Chargers to keep in-house. Whether or not the two sides are able to agree on a deal before free agency kicks off next month remains to be seen, but Mack would have a decent market if he were to become available. He totaled 32 tackles, six TFLs, and 5.5 sacks in 12 games last season, missing a chunk of games due to an elbow injury he suffered in Week 2.

Haskins will rotate in behind RB Kimani Vidal, who out-touched Haskins 21-7 last week. Vidal is an RB2 for the occasion, while Haskins is a touchdown-dependent FLEX. The big-bodied running back was added to the injury report with a chest injury on Friday, but practiced in full that day. The Chargers declared LT Joe Alt (ankle), RT Trey Pipkins III (knee), S Elijah Molden, LB Troy Dye, WR KeAndre Lambert Smith, EDGE Kyle Kennard and CB Nikko Reed inactive for Week 7 against the Colts. Chargers OLB Khalil Mack (elbow) and LB Denzel Perryman (ankle) will play.

The Chargers get a solid boost to the interior of their defense ahead of a showdown against the Colts in Week 7, with both linebackers making their return from injured reserve. It’s a slight downgrade to the rushing matchup for Jonathan Taylor and we could see the Los Angeles defense generate more organic pressure on quarterback Daniel jones.

Mack was limited all week. If he is active, it would be unsurprising to see him used as a situational pass rusher. The team could keep him sidelined for one more week, just to be safe, though. Chargers LT Joe Alt (ankle) is listed as doubtful to play after practicing in a limited capacity twice, and RT Trey Pipkins III (knee) has been ruled out. He did not practice this week.

Mack will practice today, per Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. The veteran pass rusher ranks third among Chargers defenders in pass-rush win rate (12.5 percent) while also grading out as the third-best player (69.0 PFF pass-rush grade). Unfortunately, OTs Joe Alt (ankle) and Trey Pipkins III (knee) will not practice today.

Per Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, the injury is not considered season-ending, so Mack’s will miss at least the next four games before being eligible to return. Mack suffered a dislocated elbow in the Chargers’ Week 2 win over the Raiders. The veteran pass rusher has totaled one tackle, four quarterback pressures and one sack this season.

Mack appeared to suffer a serious arm injury during Monday night’s win over the Raiders, and after evaluation, he should be able to avoid surgery and return to the LA lineup in October. It’s great news for a Chargers defense that has allowed the third lowest success rate to opposing offenses through two weeks, generating consistent pressure on enemy quarterbacks. Mack has one sack and two QB hits over the season’s first two games.

Mack underwent imaging on his elbow, and the results of that testing hasn’t been made public. The 34-year-old defender seems unlikely to be ready to go against the Broncos in Week 3.