After four weeks, the Chargers have become the kind of team the rest of the league starts circling on a trade board.
Los Angeles is off to an 0-4 start, and the early slide has been bad enough to get other teams wondering whether the Chargers could turn into sellers before the trade deadline after Week 9. That buzz is out there because the Chargers have not just been losing - they’ve looked stuck, and the schedule ahead doesn’t exactly hand them a soft landing.
One NFL executive told FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano and Eric Williams, “They are the most likely team to pull the plug,” one NFL executive told FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano and Eric Williams. “Maybe Tampa (also 0-4) is another one, but the Chargers are intriguing because they’ve got some players there. A lot of us thought they’d be good - or at least a lot better than they’ve shown.
“And if this turns into a disaster, they need a real reset in the offseason. When that’s looming, sometimes [general managers] open the doors and take whatever they can get.”
Two names have already surfaced in that chatter: outside linebacker Khalil Mack and wide receiver Quentin Johnston. Mack, a premium-position veteran who is still producing, would draw interest.
The Bears have specifically been mentioned as a possible fit. Johnston has also been floated as a possible trade candidate.
Still, interest from other teams is one thing. The Chargers actually deciding to move players is another.
There’s real skepticism around the league that Los Angeles would go that route, and one executive gave Williams a blunt “No” when asked if the team would sell. Jim Harbaugh’s influence is part of that, with some around the league believing the head coach won’t be eager to wave the white flag this early. Joe Hortiz may be more adventurous in the trade market than Tom Telesco was, but he’s also viewed as fairly cautious.
“Harbaugh has been fairly loyal to players he’s helped acquire, and I don’t think the personnel department is any different,” a longtime scout told Williams. “Mack just needs to retire after the season.
Quentin showed inconsistent hands coming out and similar vibes to why Mike Williams wasn’t a long-term player, either. Also, that division as a whole is much improved, so there really is no need to panic … yet.”
For now, the Chargers still have about a month of football before the deadline picture really comes into focus. If they want to make moves, they’ll have the chance.
Mack’s situation is the one that stands out most. The 35-year-old former first-round pick out of Buffalo was drafted by the Raiders in 2014 and played out the final year of his four-year, $18,677,002 deal after Las Vegas picked up his fifth-year option. The Raiders later sent him to the Bears in a trade that included two first-round picks, and Mack then signed a six-year, $141 million extension with Chicago that carried $90 million guaranteed.
The Chargers acquired Mack in 2022 in a deal for draft compensation after four seasons in Chicago. After finishing out that contract, he returned to Los Angeles on a one-year, $18 million deal for the 2025 season.
In 2026, Mack has played in four games for the Chargers and has 14 total tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks.
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