Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider doesn't make many mistakes, but he made one by signing edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency this past offseason. Fowler has been a bust, and Seattle needs the kind of help that Khalil Mack would bring.
Part of what made the team special last season was having depth at every defensive position. The group was elite because no matter who head coach Mike Macdonald rotated in, the player performed at a high level. That was especially true at edge rusher.
Seattle went four deep at the position with excellence: DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall, and Boye Mafe. In Week 8's ugly loss to the Chicago Bears, Nwosu was out with an injury; Hall and Lawrence were fine, but Dante Fowler, Mafe's replacement, was once again invisible.
Seattle Seahawks should be looking to trade for Khalil Mack
Seriously. It is easy to forget he is even on the team. He never gets many reps, obviously not trusted to do so by Macdonald, and for good reason. Against Chicago, Fowler played eight snaps and was statistically nonexistent.
In eight games, the most reps Fowler has played has been 21 in Week 4, and it is telling that since then he hasn't seen more than nine in any game. He has six total pressures, one tackle, and missed another on another attempt. He's been a bust.
Meanwhile. Mack is stuck on the winless Los Angeles Chargers in what might be his final season in the NFL. He likes the organization, but he would presumably be open to going to a team that could make the playoffs. Importantly, Mack has remained very effective.
In seven games, the edge rusher has 16 total pressures, including three sacks, and has five tackles for loss. He has always been a good, well-rounded player, not only pressuring quarterbacks but stuffing the run, too. This is where his real value for the Seahawks would be.
Assuming Uchenna Nwosu doesn't miss much time with an ankle injury, and Seattle trades for Mack, the team would be back to having a fearsome foursome in the edge rush group instead of three good players and an awful Dante Fowler Jr.
What would it take to get Mack? Maybe not too much. A fourth-round pick might be enough, and the Seattle Seahawks are projected to have as many as 10-11 draft picks in 2027, once comp picks are factored in. John Schneider has the draft capital to make a move for Mack.
The veteran should also be a plug-and-play defender for Mike Macdonald. He would immediately augment a group that has struggled more than last season. The season is beginning to slip away from the Seahawks, and Mack could help change things for the better.
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