Cowboys Trade for Khalil Mack? Dallas' Hidden Connection to Chargers Star

Eight sacks in six games. That’s all the Dallas Cowboys have managed to produce despite investing heavily in their defensive front.

Meanwhile out west, Khalil Mack has three by himself.

And with the Los Angeles Chargers sitting at 0-6, perhaps Dallas should consider making one more phone call before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.

The nine-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro has recorded 19 tackles and three sacks through six games.

At 35 years old, Mack isn’t quite the defensive nightmare he once was, but there’s still plenty left in the tank.

And as it turns out, the Cowboys already have someone on their coaching staff who knows exactly what Mack brings to the table.

Robert Muschamp, Dallas’ assistant secondary coach, spent the previous three seasons with Los Angeles, including a 2023 campaign in which he worked directly with the Chargers’ outside linebackers.

That happened to be the same season Mack recorded a career-high 17 sacks and earned his eighth Pro Bowl selection.

According to the Chargers’ official 2024 media guide, Muschamp assumed primary responsibility for coaching the outside linebackers during the final three weeks of that season.

Muschamp later worked with Los Angeles’ secondary in 2024 and defensive linemen in 2025 before joining Christian Parker’s staff in Dallas.

Three seasons working within the same organization, including firsthand experience coaching Mack’s position group during one of his most productive years … that’s a connection worth exploring.

Especially with the Cowboys’ defense looking the way it has.

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Through six games, Dallas has allowed 159 points and 899 rushing yards, surrendering nearly 150 yards per contest on the ground.

And despite significant investments in Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary and Von Miller, the Cowboys have struggled to generate consistent pressure.

For a defensive front featuring that much veteran talent, the lack of production has become impossible to ignore.

Mack wouldn’t magically fix everything. Coverage breakdowns, missed tackles and inconsistent execution have created problems that go well beyond the defensive line.

But he’s still a physical edge defender capable of pressuring quarterbacks and holding his own against the run — two things Dallas desperately needs.

And with Muschamp already familiar with Mack’s strengths, tendencies and preparation, the Cowboys would have someone capable of offering firsthand insight into how the veteran might fit Parker’s system.

Of course, there’s a catch … and it’s a significant one.

Mack signed a one-year, $18 million contract with the Chargers in March, meaning any acquiring team would be bringing in a veteran scheduled to hit free agency after this season.

There’s also no guarantee Los Angeles would entertain moving him.

Tom Pelissero reported on Oct. 17 that Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz had rejected trade inquiries, showing little interest in selling despite the team’s winless start.

That was before another loss dropped Los Angeles to 0-6.

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With Dallas sitting at 2-4 entering Monday’s showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, surrendering premium draft capital for an aging rental would be difficult to justify.

But if the Chargers are willing to negotiate a reasonable deal, the Cowboys should be on the phone.

They’ve already poured resources into a defense that’s failed to deliver, and the results speak for themselves. Six games into the season … with a roster built to do a whole lot more.

Mack isn’t going to turn back the clock overnight. At 35, he’s no longer the player who terrorized opposing offenses in Oakland and Chicago — but he’s still capable of making quarterbacks uncomfortable.

And Dallas happens to have someone who knows that better than most.

Muschamp (who happens to be the nephew of well-known college defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, now at Texas) witnessed one of Mack’s finest seasons firsthand. He knows the preparation, the physicality and what it takes to get the most out of the veteran pass rusher.

The Cowboys have spent six weeks watching their defensive investments fall short of expectations. Now, with the deadline approaching, there’s an opportunity worth exploring.

A proven pass-rusher. A familiar coach. A winless team going into Week 7 (the Chargers play the Rams) that might eventually reconsider its stance …

Dallas has made far less convincing moves for far more questionable reasons.