Is Trading Back the Best Option For the Chargers?
The Los Angeles Chargers are in a bit of a terrible situation with the cap. They are currently over the cap by $20 million according to overthecap.com. A big reason for this is the team having many veterans with big contracts.
The team recently cut LB Eric Kendricks, but they could follow that up by letting Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, and Mike Williams go. Matt "Money" Smith discusses the best course of action for the Chargers moving forward, which includes trading back to stack their current draft picks.
"I think if it were up to Coach Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz, they'd probably like their eight draft picks to turn into 11 or 12, and they'd like to see all those guys make the team. They would love to populate this roster, because it is too veteran. It really had become way too veteran-laden, way too many veteran contracts on this team and not enough young talent had been able to stick around or they'd not been able to make the roster just over the last three or four years."
via Matt "Money" Smith, Bleav in Chargers
The Chargers have pick #5 in the NFL Draft, but there are many who believe they should trade back. Should they do so with a QB-hungry team like the Falcons or Broncos, they could be awarded something like a third-round and fifth-round in this year's draft.
"You're probably talking about what they would like to be nine rookies to be on the 53. I think that would be a good thing for them if that were the number they got to that probably make them pretty darn happy."
via Matt "Money" Smith, Bleav in Chargers
The Chargers found themselves in a bit of a "win now" type of culture, which has not panned out. The team went from an AFC Super Bowl hopeful, to the bottom of the barrel in terms of wins.
That might be attributed to Brandon Staley's mismanagement of being the head coach and defensive play caller, but the team is also packed with a ton of veterans who may walk in free agency.
The team could find some gems in the draft, especially if they trade back to stack up 11 picks.
James Brizuela has been a professional writer since 2019. After covering entertainment and the NFL for Sportskeeda, he now works as an Assignment Desk Editor for the LA Sports Report Network which has partnered with the Sports Illustrated FanNation Network, focusing on his expertise in LA sports at the college and professional level.