Khalil Mack is one of the best defensive players in the NFL, however, the trade rumors continue to grow as the 2018 NFL regular season approaches. Sure, Mack is still under contract with the Oakland Raiders, but you have to believe that the longer Mack continues to hold out, the more likely he will be dealt away.

Vegas tabs Packers as the top landing spot

While head coach Jon Gruden and the Raider Nation want nothing more than Mack to return to the silver and black, the odds of that happening are slipping away. According to Bleacher Report, online oddsmakers at Oddsshark are indicating that the Green Bay Packers are the early favorites to acquire Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack before the 2018 NFL trade deadline.

On Saturday (August 18), the online gaming giant tweeted out (via bet my bookie) the top seven teams favored to land Mack via trade. The Green Bay Packers +200, along with the Chicago Bears +300 are the early favorites, followed by the Oakland Raiders +350 and New York Jets +350.

After the top four, the odds grow quite a bit. The Buffalo Bills are fifth overall at +1000, followed by the Washington Redskins at +1500 and the New York Giants at +2000.

Time is ticking

Many fans in Oakland have to be baffled a bit about Mack holding, and with good reason. Afterall, it isn’t like Mack wasn’t pulling in some good change. Mack’s $13.8 million base salary for the upcoming 2018 NFL season ranks fourth among defensive ends. Even so, NFL guru Adam Schefter reported that there seems to be "no end in sight" to his holdout.

The 27-year-old is in the final year of his deal with the Raiders, but the longer he holds out, the more money he loses in fines, which could soon surpass the $2 million dollar mark. What makes this hold out a bit more puzzling is Mack himself indicated that his interest in staying in Oakland is definitely there. When asked last November in an interview with NBC Sports about staying in Oakland his entire career, the response was positive.

In fact, it led many NFL experts to believe that Mack would sign a long-term deal after the 2018 season.

Mack told NBC Sports that staying in Oakland was a no-brainer to him, especially thinking about playing for a team that is on the verge of building something special. Which team he decides to sign for will surely shift the current Super Bowl odds.

Time will tell, but one way or another, something has to give. With the 2018 NFL season opener just over two weeks away, you can expect a move to be made soon. The Raiders open the regular season schedule on Monday, September 10, against the Los Angeles Rams.
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