NFC Wild Card Playoffs: San Francisco 49ers v Philadelphia Eagles
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The San Francisco 49ers are 6-1 and enjoying the weekend off as they wrap up their bye week.
However, they were quite busy, pulling off a blockbuster deal to acquire interior defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from the Indianapolis Colts for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Buckner is on an expiring deal, which is why his trade value was fairly low. He began his career with the 49ers and is a three-time Pro Bowler who now gets to return to San Francisco. He’s also already recorded four sacks this season.
49ers Linked to Another Blockbuster Move
While it’s unknown how aggressive 49ers general manager John Lynch plans to be, there could be another move brewing along the defensive front.
NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of San Francisco making a trade to acquire a player like nine-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Khalil Mack.
“I certainly would not rule out the possibility that they could get Khalil Mack or somebody like that who could come in and strengthen the defensive line,” Maiocco said this week.
The Los Angeles Chargers, who re-signed Mack to a one-year deal this offseason, are currently 0-6. Mack would likely only cost around a fifth- or sixth-round pick in a trade.
Matt Maiocco on the 49ers possibly looking for more help on the defensive line:
“I certainly would not rule out the possibility that they could get Khalil Mack or somebody like that who could come in and strengthen the defensive line.”
Matt says fair trade value for Mack would be a 6th round pick OR they could trade a 5th for Mack and a 6th round pick in return
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) November 1, 2026
Mack’s NFL Career
Across three teams — the Las Vegas Raiders (then Oakland), Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Chargers — Mack has established himself as one of the game’s elite defensive players.
He’s currently 35 and nearing the backend of his career, but he remains highly productive. Mack has recorded three sacks and 19 tackles through the six games Los Angeles has played this season.
Over the course of his career, Mack has totaled 681 tackles, 116.0 sacks, 153 tackles for loss and 36 forced fumbles across 185 games and 13 NFL seasons.
Cole Sullivan Cole Sullivan is a sports journalist for Heavy.com covering the NFL, NBA, college football, and college basketball. A member of the United States Basketball Writers Association, he has written for FanSided, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, and Newsweek. Sullivan earned an Associate degree from Franklin Pierce University and a Bachelor's degree from Lynn University, where he studied Communications and Media Studies with a focus on Sports Journalism. More about Cole Sullivan