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The Los Angeles Chargers are not going to be left out in the cold when it comes to teams making blockbuster trades. As reported by Ian Rapoport, the Chicago Bears have traded star defensive end Khalil Mack to the Chargers for a second-round pick this year and a sixth-round pick in 2023.
With many still coming to terms with the Denver Broncos' acquisition of Russell Wilson, the Chargers have opted to join the party by signing 31-year-old Mack.
With their defense somewhat of a problem at stages last season, the Chargers now potentially have the best defensive duo in the entire league with Mack joining Joey Bosa.
The Chargers are getting a potential Hall of Fame defender in Mack, who is a true game-changer. The worst part for opposing offensive lines is that now they will not be able to double team Bosa and if they do, Mack gets a one-on-one chance that he will win most of the time.
The AFC West is now stacked with talent after Chargers trade
Mack's addition is just another star in what is now an absolutely stacked division and potentially the best in football.
Already with Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson and Derek Carr to face twice a year, L.A. needed some serious firepower to stop their high-octane offenses. They have that now.
Mack is still just 31-years-old so L.A will get plenty of production out of him. Joey Bosa himself was a disrupter and now adding in a six-time Pro Bowler and a former Defensive Player of the Year back, the Chargers are doing all they can to slow down the teams in their division.
Rapoport reported that L.A. is taking all of Mack's remaining three years of $63.3 million. That is a great investment for Brandon Staley. The Rams acquired Von Miller from the Broncos and paired with Aaron Donald to ease the burden on the three-time Defensive Player of the Year. And it paid off, as Miller and Donald were terrific in the playoffs and led the Rams to Super Bowl glory. The Chargers will hope that Mack and Bosa can do the same.
With Justin Herbert and the offense able to put up points at will, the defense now boasts of two bonafide superstars who can thwart opposing quarterbacks. Just how Mahomes, Wilson and Carr deal with this incredible duo remains to be seen, but it is going to make for fascinating viewing.
Does it make Brandon Staley's team a Super Bowl contender? It is hard to say at this stage, but given how well the offense can play with Herbert under center and now with the true defensive power they possess, a playoff spot should be the minimum.
With the Chiefs, Broncos and Raiders all of similar thinking, the AFC West is going to be the most watched division in the NFL next season.
