The Los Angeles Rams didn’t make a wide receiver move at the 2026 NFL trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t poking around.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, NFL teams believed the Rams were the club that checked in on Chargers wideout Ladd McConkey, a 1,000-yard receiver who would have represented a major swing for a team trying to stay afloat without Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
“The Chargers said no to at least one Ladd McConkey inquiry. Teams I spoke to believe the Rams were the ones to make that call,” Fowler reports. “Overall, though, the Rams didn’t seriously consider a receiver move because they expect both Puka Nacua and Davante Adams to return this season.”
That lines up with the Rams’ situation. Nacua’s multi-week injury had already left a hole in the passing game, while Adams remained on injured reserve and was still out through Week 12.
On paper, receiver help made sense. In practice, the Rams passed on making a deal.
McConkey would have been a fascinating fit, especially with both Adams and Nacua headed for the open market after the season. A controllable receiver like that would have given Los Angeles another long-term piece, but the cost would have been steep. The Chargers were unlikely to move him, and any deal probably would have required an overpay.
The Rams might have had a better shot at pulling off that kind of blockbuster if they still had their 2027 first-round pick.
For now, though, the Rams are betting on getting through the next stretch without making a move. If Adams and Nacua are back soon, the decision to stand pat will look a lot smarter in hindsight.
In the meantime, Konata Mumpfield, CJ Daniels, and Tutu Atwell are the names catching passes from Matthew Stafford, and that group may be enough to get the job done in Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals.
It’s still only a rumor that the Rams were the team behind the McConkey inquiry, but it would hardly be shocking if they were the ones who called to see what it would take to land the 24-year-old receiver.
In Other News...
Chargers Have A Chance To Add A Speed Threat With Real Risk
Hollywood Brown is suddenly on the market after his release by the Eagles, and that naturally puts a player with his kind of speed on the radar for a Chargers offense that could always use more juice on the perimeter. Brown has long been the sort of receiver who can change how a defense lines up, and his availability gives Los Angeles a chance to think about adding a vertical threat without waiting for the draft or another deeper pool of free agents.
Of course, this is the kind of move that comes with real questions attached. Browns health history, his contract expectations and how he would fit into the Chargers overall receiver plan all matter, and there is no indication the team is actually pursuing him yet. Still, for a club looking to sharpen its passing game, the possibility is enough to keep this one worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Head Into Baltimore With Another Brutal Injury Problem
The Chargers reached the trade deadline without making a move, and the roster they carry into Baltimore looks much like the one that has been battered all season. Los Angeles is still winless at 0-8, and the injury situation has only deepened the sense that this team is trying to survive week to week rather than build toward anything more stable. By Week Six, more than half of the original 53-man roster had already landed on the injury report or injured reserve, a staggering toll for a team already searching for answers.
Now comes Monday Night Football against the Ravens, with the Chargers still dealing with a long list of unavailable players and little evidence of a quick fix. The biggest concerns remain on offense and at cornerback, two areas where depth has been tested repeatedly and the options are running thin. With no deadline reinforcements coming, Los Angeles heads into one of the leagues toughest road environments carrying the same burden it has been trying to manage for weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Philip Rivers Is Taking On A Role Chargers Fans Never Expected
Philip Rivers is heading back to the sideline in a way few saw coming, with North Carolina State officially hiring the former Chargers quarterback as its next head coach. Rivers, who starred at NC State before a 17-year NFL career, has long been one of the more recognizable figures from the Chargers past, and his return to the college game brings an immediate jolt of familiarity for anyone who watched him pile up seasons in San Diego and Los Angeles.
The move also puts Rivers in a very different lane from the one most fans expected after his brief 2025 return with the Indianapolis Colts and his retirement soon after. His coaching background is limited, though he has worked with his sons high school team, and he had previously interviewed for the Buffalo Bills head coaching job, a sign that his post-playing path has been trending toward the sideline for a while. Now comes the bigger test: turning a beloved former quarterback into a first-time head coach at his alma mater. [Read more 🡒]