The Chargers went into final cuts with a problem plenty of teams would love to have: too many corners who looked good enough to stick. That surplus gave them room to do business, and on Sunday they used it.
According to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero, Los Angeles sent cornerback Avery Smith to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2027.
Smith had put together a strong summer, and that mattered here. The Chargers were facing a roster squeeze at cornerback, and the sense was that if they tried to sneak him through to the practice squad, another team would have come calling. Rather than risk losing him for nothing, they took the trade.
It also helped that Smith was one of the most intriguing names in camp. The undrafted free agent out of Toledo showed up repeatedly during training camp and preseason, stacking pass breakups and solid coverage reps while adjusting to NFL speed against a Mike McDaniel-Justin Herbert offense.
The Chargers’ cornerback room had enough talent that Smith wasn’t the only one who had earned his way onto the roster. Rodney Shelley and Eric Rogers also appeared to have locked down spots, which made the decision easier for the front office.
In that light, this wasn’t just about moving a player. It was about clearing space during a crowded final roster battle and taking the best return available. If Seattle’s offer was the strongest one on the table, Los Angeles had its answer.
The move may also affect how the Chargers shape the rest of the roster. The expectation is that they keep six cornerbacks on the initial 53-man roster before working through injured lists and the practice squad. That could create some flexibility elsewhere, including at safety, where Derwin James’ position can be adjusted as the team sorts through the final crunch.
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