The Chargers are staring at a familiar kind of mess.
Sunday’s 23-17 loss to the visiting Denver Broncos dropped Jim Harbaugh’s team to 0-5, and that’s a place the franchise knows all too well. The source of the comparison goes back to 2003, when Marty Schottenheimer’s then-San Diego Chargers also opened 0-5 before eventually climbing out of the hole and finishing 12-4 to win the AFC West a year later.
Whether this group can pull off anything close to that kind of turnaround remains the big question. But with the season off to such a rough start, the trade market is suddenly worth watching from both sides of the equation: teams that are sinking may be willing to move veterans, while clubs with obvious holes may go shopping for help.
That’s where Bradley Locker’s Pro Football Focus list comes in. Last Wednesday, he put together a rundown of 15 players who could be dealt before the deadline, which falls on Tuesday, November 10 at 4:00 pm ET. The first name on that list was wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., and this weekend the Arizona Cardinals sent the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft to the Houston Texans.
Two Chargers also made the cut: edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu and receiver Quentin Johnston.
Tuipulotu is in the final year of his rookie deal, and he and the Chargers did not agree to an extension this offseason. He’s also been one of the bright spots on a team that has had precious few.
A year ago, the former USC standout piled up 13.0 sacks, led the team in that category, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod. This season, he’s tied for third on Chris O’Leary’s defense with 22 tackles, third on the team with two sacks, and first among Chargers with eight quarterback hits.
He’s also added two takeaways and forced two fumbles.
Johnston’s case is different, and maybe less appealing to the rest of the league. He’s in the final season of his original contract after the Chargers picked up his fifth-year option on the 6’2”, 208-pound wideout.
Through four games, he has been targeted 19 times, caught seven passes for 108 yards, and has not scored a touchdown. Over his first three NFL seasons, Johnston posted 144 receptions for 1,877 yards and 18 touchdowns, though his 59.5 catch percentage over that stretch left plenty to be desired.
If the Chargers are looking outward rather than inward, the offensive line is a clear area of need. Their tackle situation is again unsettled with Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt ailing, and Locker pointed to Pittsburgh Steelers right tackle Dylan Cook as a player who could be available now that he has lost his starting job to 2026 first-round pick Max Iheanachor.
Next up for Harbaugh’s team is a visit from the first-place Kansas City Chiefs, who were off last week. The Chargers, meanwhile, have been off in a different way entirely: they have lost every game they’ve played so far this season.
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Chargers Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away As Pressure Builds On Herbert
The Chargers had another game within reach in Inglewood before it tilted the wrong way late, with Denver rallying for a 23-17 win after Sean Payton took over play-calling duties and the Broncos leaned on key defensive turnovers in the fourth quarter. Bo Nix tied it with a touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton, and Wil Lutz finished the comeback with a pair of late field goals, leaving Los Angeles to sort through a loss that looked there for the taking.
For Justin Herbert, the finish only added to the burden that comes with every close game that slips away. The Chargers had chances to close it out, but the final stretch unraveled quickly, and Denver seized control after Herberts turnover set up the go-ahead kick. When the margin is that thin, every mistake gets magnified, and this one will sting because it was the kind of game Los Angeles needed to put away. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Harbaughs Chargers Just Reached A Troubling New Low
The Chargers start under Jim Harbaugh has taken on a familiar kind of urgency for a team trying to stop a fast slide before it turns into something far worse. After losing to the Broncos, Los Angeles fell to 0-5, the worst opening of Harbaughs NFL career and a stark departure from the winning track record he built across his first six pro seasons.
Harbaugh was left searching for answers afterward, saying the players have to fight with their hearts and bring their best effort as the pressure keeps building. It is a rough place to be this early, especially with the Chiefs waiting on the road next week and little margin left for a team already staring at a troubling new low. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Harbaugh Sounds Lost As Chargers Season Starts Slipping Away
The Chargers season has gone from bad to unstable in a hurry, and the home loss to Denver only added to the sense that nothing is getting fixed quickly. Los Angeles is 0-5, the offense has been hit hard by injuries, and a unit that was supposed to get a fresh start under new coordinator Mike McDaniel has instead looked disconnected while Justin Herbert has struggled to find his usual rhythm.
Jim Harbaughs comments after the Broncos game captured the mood around the team more than any box score could. With the losses piling up and the offense still searching for answers, the bigger issue now is less about one disappointing afternoon and more about what the message inside the building is supposed to be as the season keeps slipping away. [Read more 🡒]