The Los Angeles Rams season isn’t even over yet, but their aggressive and unconventional roster building has already led to a link between them and Khalil Mack, one of the most important free agents on the market this offseason.
According to The 33rd Team, the Rams would be one of their top five best fits for the 33-year-old pass rusher. The Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles were also included in their top destinations.
Rams Linked To Khalil Mack In Free Agency
LA ended the season with the seventh-youngest defense in the league. Much of the youth is along the defensive line, which they have dutifully built over the last two drafts. Four members from the last two drafts averaged over 70 percent of the team’s total defensive snaps.
Their 2024 first-round pick, Jared Verse is the front-runner to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2023’s third-rounder came in third in voting for that award last year.
But it is Mack’s experience that would make him valuable to LA. Not one of the Rams 2024 rostered defensive linemen has more than four seasons of experience. The most weathered member will be Michael Hoecht, who joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and played just 57 percent of defensive snaps this year.
Their defensive youth movement will also benefit the veteran. Mack would be used on a situational basis, lightening his workload and possibly extending his career.
The one big hiccup would be if Mack decides to hang ’em up. He floated the idea of retiring during his final press conference after the Chargers’ wild-card playoff loss to the Houston Texans.
“It’s a lot of different thoughts in my head right now,” Mack said Sunday. “Can’t really speak on a definitive decision in terms of what I’m going to do, because I don’t know if I’m going to play football going forward.
“Just some things I got to talk through with my wife, spend some time with my kids and try not to make a rash decision after a loss,” Mack added.
Mack just completed his third season with LA, posting 22 pressures and six sacks, per Pro Football Reference. He picked up two more sacks against Houston on Saturday. Just last season, he collected a career-high 17 sacks as well as 36 pressures. He has been elected to three Pro Bowls in his time with the team.