The Los Angeles Chargers had until 4 p.m. ET today to get under the NFL’s $255.4 million salary cap, which they did by cutting wide receiver Mike Williams to save $20 million against the cap.
Williams, along with Keenan Allen, Joey Bosa, and former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack represented four of the top 12 cap hits in the entire league, so it was obvious one, if not two or three of them, would be leaving LA.
While Williams may be gone, ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that Mack will be staying put.
Eight-time Pro-Bowl DE and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack will remain a Los Angeles Charger this season and free up salary-cap space for the team by agreeing to restructure his deal, per sources. Mike Williams leaves, Mack stays. https://t.co/fiEAJVjN8n pic.twitter.com/PbnBt4pLzs
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2024
At 33 years old, Mack is coming off a career-high 17 sacks in 2023 and will now continue his Chargers tenure under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who will be relying on both Mack and Bosa to lead a revamped defense.
Mack is heading into the final year of the backloaded six-year, $141 million deal he signed with the Chicago Bears and has a staggering $38.5 million cap his this season.
He would’ve generated $15.2 million in dead cap space had the Chargers cut him, while cutting Williams only resulted in $12.46 million in dead cap.
Cutting Williams was the more obvious choice, as he is coming off a torn ACL and LA still has Allen and sophomore Quentin Johnston at the position, as well as the No. 5 pick in the draft that could potentially be used on another receiver in a loaded class.
Mack has played all 34 games in his two years as a Charger and is a pillar on this defense.
Let’s see if he has another 17-sack season in him heading into a contract year.
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