Khalil Mack leaves Chargers game with elbow injury as ‘ugly’ replay raises bigger concerns

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack injured his left elbow on the final play of the first quarter in Monday night’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chargers ruled Mack out shortly before halftime after he returned to the sideline with his arm heavily wrapped and in a sling.Shortly after the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Las Vegas Raiders, head coach Jim Harbaugh shared an update on Khalil Mack's injury on Monday night, saying that Mack would have to get imaging done and, "We'll see where it takes us." Mack went down while chasing Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker near the sideline. As Mack reached out for the tackle, he collided with teammate Troy Dye and his left arm bent in an awkward position. He sprinted to the medical tent, grimaced in pain, and later went to the locker room for imaging.The 34-year-old returned without his shoulder pads, his arm stabilized in a sling. The Chargers quickly made it official, ruling him out for the rest of the night.Before the injury, Mack had already made an impact. He recorded his first sack of the season against quarterback Geno Smith, lifting his career total to 108.5. Mack, who signed a one-year, $18 million deal this offseason to remain in Los Angeles, was coming off a 2024 campaign with 39 tackles and six sacks.A nine-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro, Mack has been central to the Chargers’ defense. He spent his first four years with the Raiders, followed by four seasons with the Chicago Bears, and is now in his fourth season with Los Angeles.The Chargers already entered the year without Joey Bosa, who left in the offseason. Mack’s injury leaves Tuli Tuipulotu as the team’s primary edge rusher. Veterans Bud Dupree and Caleb Murphy are the other active options. Rookie Kyle Kennard has been inactive for both games so far, and his limited progress in training camp raises more questions about depth.With Khalil Mack sidelined, Los Angeles could look at free agency. The market is thin after Za’Darius Smith signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and Jadeveon Clowney joined the Dallas Cowboys, leaving few proven pass rushers available.For now, the Chargers are waiting on imaging results to learn the severity of Mack’s elbow injury. Losing their most consistent defensive star for an extended stretch would be a major setback for a roster already thin on top-end talent.