The Chargers are back from their Week 7 bye staring at an 0-6 record and holding the NFL’s lone winless mark after the Dolphins finally picked up a victory. That leaves Los Angeles in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 overall pick, at least for now, with Miami suddenly right there in the mix too.
That setup also puts the Chargers on the clock in a bigger way than just the draft. The November 10 trade deadline is coming fast, and the organization has a real decision to make: sit tight or start moving pieces for the future. The Chargers and Dolphins remain the likeliest teams to land the top pick, and their Week 16 matchup could end up deciding it.
If Los Angeles is sitting at No. 1, the opening choice is about as straightforward as it gets. Jeremiah Smith is the kind of receiver who changes the conversation on offense, and the Chargers badly need that kind of weapon to force defenses off the line and give Justin Herbert a true top target.
At 6-foot-3 and 222 pounds, Smith brings rare size and production, and the comparisons around him are already lofty. He’s piled up multiple Ohio State receiving records, and he comes from a program that has produced a first-round receiver in five straight years and six times overall.
Even if the draft order shifts, this class has other receivers who can help quickly - but Smith is in a tier of his own.
If the Chargers pivot away from receiver in Round 1, cornerback becomes a glaring need. Their room is thin, and Zabien Brown fits the kind of profile that makes sense there: size, speed and instincts all rolled together.
His technique still needs polishing, but the talent is obvious. He’s the type of outside corner a staff can mold into something bigger if everything clicks.
The edge rush group also needs attention, especially with Khalil Mack likely moving on. Tuli Tuipulotu and Akheem Mesidor are positioned to anchor the room, but the Chargers use plenty of three-edge looks and will need another body who can hold up in that rotation. John Henry Daley fits that mold as a relentless rusher who can work inside and still get home fast.
Linebacker is another spot that can’t be ignored. The room is thin, and several veterans are working through 2026 on expiring contracts, which leaves the long-term picture unsettled heading into 2027.
Even if Daiyan Henley returns, more help will be required. Cade Uluave has been on the radar for years, dating back to his freshman season at Cal, and Chargers scouts have been steady visitors around his games.
Uluave brings coverage ability, blitz value and run support, along with the leadership traits teams want in the middle.
Down the board, A.J. Holmes Jr. looks like the kind of interior disruptor who may not even make it to Day 3.
The Chargers have already been stacking talent along the defensive line in back-to-back drafts, and Teair Tart gives that group a veteran edge. Holmes adds more pass-rush juice from inside and has been one of the top interior pressure players in the country.
Finally, there’s the offensive line. The Chargers are expected to spend in free agency to fix their interior issues, but depth will still matter.
Evan Tengesdahl brings a powerful frame and the movement skills to work in space, while still needing development as a pass protector. He’s a physical interior blocker with plenty to build on.
In Other News...
Chargers May Have A Justin Herbert Protection Move Worth Watching
The Chargers have spent plenty of time looking for ways to give Justin Herbert a cleaner pocket, and one name that has surfaced in that conversation is guard Wyatt Teller. Los Angeles needs more stability up front, and Tellers profile is the kind of fit that naturally draws attention when a team is searching for help in the trenches.
What makes the idea worth watching is the timing. Teller has slipped out of the Texans starting lineup this season after signing a two-year deal in Houston, which has only added to the sense that he could be available if a trade market develops ahead of the deadline. For the Chargers, the appeal is obvious, but the question is whether the cost and the fit line up well enough to make a move. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Fans Suddenly Have A Ladd McConkey Trade Deadline Question
The trade deadline is suddenly putting a familiar Chargers name into an uncomfortable spotlight, and it comes with Pittsburgh lurking as a potential buyer. With the Steelers at 5-2 and expected to look for receiver help before the Nov. 10 deadline, insider Jason La Canfora floated Los Angeles wideout Ladd McConkey as one of the names they could explore, alongside Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
For the Chargers, the question is less about what McConkey means in the present than what a deal like that would say about where the franchise is headed. Pittsburgh wants more help for 43-year-old Aaron Rodgers as it tries to chase the AFC, but Los Angeles may have its own reasons to listen if it decides the bigger picture matters more than holding onto young talent. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers May Have A Tough Call On This Talented Young Receiver
As the NFL trade deadline gets closer, Brian Thomas Jr. has emerged as one of the more intriguing names to monitor around the league. The Jaguars wide receiver looked like a breakout player during his rookie season, but his production has dipped since then, and that has opened the door to speculation that Jacksonville could at least hear out offers. For the Chargers, it is the kind of development worth watching closely, because adding a young receiver with his talent would immediately raise questions about how he would fit into their offense and what level of urgency they want to show.
The appeal is obvious enough for a team that can always use another playmaker, but so is the uncertainty. Thomas still carries the profile of a receiver worth betting on, yet the fact that his situation in Jacksonville has become murky makes any possible move feel a little more complicated than a simple talent grab. If the Jaguars truly decide to move him, the Chargers would have to weigh both the upside and the cost, with the deadline offering only a brief window to decide whether this is the right swing to take. [Read more 🡒]