The Chargers’ 0-6 start has opened the door to a hard truth in Los Angeles: this season is slipping away fast, and the front office may have to decide whether to hold on or start dealing.
One name now floating through trade chatter is Derwin James, the do-it-all safety who could draw real interest if the Chargers decide to sell. Robert Marvi of Athlon Sports raised the possibility, pointing to NFL insider Jason La Canfora’s belief that James could be on the move before the deadline.
“There is going to be a lot of chatter about hybrid safety Derwin James ahead of this deadline, too, and people I talk to believe the demand for a positionless defender with that unique skill set will be high enough that he could get moved,” La Canfora wrote.
James has been a centerpiece since the Chargers drafted him No. 17 overall in 2018 out of Florida State University. He’s made five Pro Bowls, including each of the last two seasons. This year, he has 21 total tackles, 12 solo tackles and one pass defended.
If Los Angeles does decide to shake things up, James would be one of the biggest names available. The idea would be simple: stockpile draft capital, rework a struggling roster and leave room for a bigger push later. Marvi also noted that Mack could potentially bring back a Day Two pick if the Chargers catch a little luck, and James, given his value, would be expected to return even more.
There’s also a financial angle here. Paying a safety that much of the cap isn’t exactly producing the kind of payoff the Chargers need at 0-6. At the same time, the offseason stands out for what Los Angeles did not do with its cap space.
Trading James would be a clear reset move, one that could help set up a more aggressive next offseason. The thought is that if the Chargers can add the right talent, including a player like Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, 2027 could become a major turnaround year.
For now, the question is whether another team with a need at safety will step up and whether the Chargers are ready to make that kind of move.
In Other News...
Chargers Could Face A Real Quentin Johnston Decision Very Soon
Terry McLaurins season-ending knee injury has changed the trade market in a hurry, and it may have put Quentin Johnston on a short list of names worth monitoring. Washington now has a glaring need at receiver, and Johnston has enough explosive ability to make sense as a possible fit even if his production has been uneven. For the Chargers, that kind of interest creates an awkward kind of value question, because a player with big-play traits can look a lot different depending on whether a team sees him as part of its future or as an asset it should consider moving.
Los Angeles also has to weigh the football side against the contract side, since Johnston is no longer just a developmental flier. The Chargers have already committed to him beyond this season, which makes any serious conversation about his future more complicated than a simple deadline rental discussion. If Washington keeps pushing for help after losing McLaurin, the Chargers may have to decide soon whether Johnston is a piece to keep building around or one of the few receivers on the roster who could help bring back something meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
Quentin Johnston Trade Buzz Hits One Chargers Scenario Fans Would Hate
Quentin Johnstons name has started popping up in the kind of trade chatter that always gets attention in this division, and for Chargers fans, the destination is the part that stings. A Bleacher Report piece floated Kansas City as a hypothetical landing spot, which is enough to turn a routine roster conversation into a rivalry headache, especially when a players performance and contract situation are already part of the discussion.
For now, though, it is just that - discussion. There have been no confirmed trade talks or agreement, and the whole idea sits squarely in the theoretical category, but even a speculative link between the Chargers and Chiefs tends to linger because of what the matchup already means. In a division where every small personnel wrinkle gets magnified, this is the sort of scenario that fans would rather never have to picture in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Bye Week Just Turned Into A Veteran Trade Watch
The bye week has arrived at an awkward time for the Chargers, who are 0-6 and trying to sort through a roster battered by injuries while the calendar pushes toward the November 10 trade deadline. With the season already trending off course, NFL insider Tom Pelissero has put a handful of veteran names into the conversation, including Khalil Mack, Bud Dupree, Donte Jackson and Keaton Mitchell, which is the kind of midseason noise that usually follows a team in this spot.
For Los Angeles, the bigger issue is less about whether Justin Herbert is on the move, because he is not expected to be traded, and more about how aggressive the front office wants to be in reshaping a team that still has to think beyond this lost start. A deadline selloff would not just change the short-term depth chart, it would also say plenty about how the Chargers view the rest of this season and the veterans who could be of interest to contenders. [Read more 🡒]