The Cleveland Browns are already a surprise playoff contender, which in turn will make them an unexpected factor approaching the NFL trade deadline. They are another team with postseason hopes that could be looking to add players in a crowded market.
Off to one of the best starts in franchise history, the Browns enter their Week 8 rematch with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in first place in the AFC North. While Cleveland’s defense has certainly helped it get there, one area of that unit could use an upgrade.
That is why insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com is urging the Browns to make a big trade with the Los Angeles Chargers for edge rusher Khalil Mack.
“They really, really need some help. They only have three sacks combined from their edge rushers this season, and all three came from Isaiah McGuire. I truly believe the Browns should do everything they can to trade for Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack,” Cabot said.
Short vid: Why the #Browns should trade for Khalil Mack or another top edge rusher before the Nov. 10 deadline: pic.twitter.com/f5v6sAtiQP
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) October 30, 2026
Mack will be one of the most sought-after and asked-about players leading up to the deadline on Nov. 10. At 35 years old, he is in the final year of his contract, but he has shown he is still a productive player, with 3.0 sacks this season.
At 0-6, the Chargers already have less than a 1 percent chance to make the playoffs, so it makes sense for them to move on from veterans with expiring contracts. Cabot speculates that it would cost the Browns a fourth-round pick to acquire Mack, but that price might increase as more teams get involved.
It was thought that Mack could return to the Chicago Bears, where he played from 2018 through 2021. But they traded for Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons this week, which could take them out of the running for Mack.
The Browns lost edge rusher Alex Wright for the season to an Achilles injury during training camp, and Jared Verse has yet to record a sack in his first season with Cleveland. Even with McGuire’s breakout campaign and defensive tackle Mason Graham providing sacks from the interior, the Browns need help in that vital area if they hope to make the postseason.
The fact that the Browns are even considering a move like this speaks volumes about how far they have come, and landing a player like Mack could push them to even greater things.
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