Khalil Mack Raiders Jets
Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders matches up against Brandon Shell #72 of the New York Jets at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sept. 17, 2017 in Oakland, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The start of the 2018 NFL season is just 10 days away and Khalil Mack still hasn’t reported to camp for the Oakland Raiders. Trade rumors regarding the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year won’t go away as more than one-third of the league has inquired about Mack’s availability.

Pro Football Talk has reported that as many as 12 teams have expressed at least some interest in making a trade with Oakland, and four of those teams explored the possibility of a deal “very seriously.” The Raiders don’t appear to be actively shopping their best defender, but they haven’t shut the door on making a move, either.

Who could be among those four teams that have considered making a competitive offer to Oakland? The New York Jets might be a good guess.

Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News said Monday that the Jets are serious about acquiring Mack. New York has what they hope to be their franchise quarterback in Sam Darnold, who has had a strong preseason after being drafted No.3 overall. Adding an elite pass rusher that won’t turn 28 years old until after Super Bowl LIII would put the Jets one step closer to being the New England Patriots’ biggest competition in the AFC East over the next few years.

The Jets’ 2019 first-round pick could be the centerpiece of a potential deal. Teddy Bridgewater is the biggest trade asset on New York’s current roster. Oakland is set at starting quarterback with Derek Carr, but they could use a reliable backup.

There was speculation Sunday that the Detroit Lions might be looking to trade for Mack. A tweet by Dan Leach of 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit that said a limo driver claimed to have picked up Mack to meet with the Lions caught a lot of attention, though there doesn’t seem to be any truth to the rumor.

The Green Bay Packers have been listed as the betting favorite to trade for Mack. Green Bay has two first-round picks in next year's draft.

Any team that trades for Mack would almost certainly have to sign him to an extension. The defensive end hasn’t put on a uniform this preseason because he’s looking for a new contract as he heads for free agency in 2019.

Mack has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons, averaging 12 sacks and 76 tackles per year.

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