Seattle targets a legendary nine-time Pro-Bowl edge rusher to bolster their Super Bowl defense amidst potential roster turnover.
The bad news?
The Seattle Seahawks seem positioned to lose edge rusher Boye Mafe from their Super Bowl defense this offseason.
The good news? One analyst is predicting that the Seahawks will replace him with an all-time great.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano projected the Seahawks to sign Khalil Mack to one-year, $18 million deal.
“At 35 years old, it feels like Mack has reached the year-to-year portion of his career. He can still be a huge help to a contender — he had 5.5 sacks in 2025 — and some team might see him as the player it’s been missing,” Graziano writes. “In this case, we’re sending him to a team that will be looking to repeat as Super Bowl champs and is likely losing a number of key players on both sides of the ball in free agency.”
Indeed, there could be an exodus of Seaahawks looking for their first bid paydays in free agency ... while Mack might be looked for one last hurrah.
UPDATE: Mack is sticking with the Chargers via a one-year deal.
Mack has a Hall of Fame resume thanks to his 12 seasons in the NFL. He's a three-time first-team All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowler and in 2016, Mack won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
With the Chargers in 2025, he had 5.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits and four forced fumbles.
That sack total suggests a decline.
Mack had 17 sacks and received Defensive Player of the Year votes in 2023. But over the past two years since then, he has totaled just 11.5 sacks.
Can Seattle bring back other free agents such as Kenneth Walker, Coby Bryant, Rashid Shaheed and Josh Jobe? There are challenges there.
And if the team doesn’t re-sign Mafe? It won't be Mack, but it'll still need a helping hand.