The Chargers were never going to make Justin Herbert available, even if the calls kept coming.
With the 2026 NFL trade deadline now in the rearview, Los Angeles wound up moving only one player - linebacker Daiyan Henley - despite plenty of outside buzz that the team could be open for business. Instead, the Chargers mostly held firm, and when it came to Herbert, they shut the door fast.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Vikings checked in on Herbert before eventually landing Kirk Cousins from the Raiders. Schultz reported that Los Angeles ended any discussion right away, noting that Herbert also holds a no-trade clause.
“The #Vikings also inquired about Justin Herbert, Daniel Jones and Geno Smith before striking a deal with the #Raiders for Kirk Cousins, per multiple league sources.
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"The Chargers, I’m told, immediately shut down all inquiries for Herbert, who also has a no-trade clause,” Schultz wrote.
That lines up with what Albert Breer said last week, when he floated the Vikings as a team that should at least try to pry Herbert loose. Breer’s read on the situation was pretty clear.
“It can’t hurt to make that phone call if you’re the Vikings,” Breer said. “Do I think Joe Hortiz is going to say ‘no way, we can’t trade a franchise quarterback,’ yeah, I think he’s going to say no way.”
The bigger story, though, is how far Herbert’s season has fallen off. After six years of building a reputation as one of the league’s top quarterbacks, the 28-year-old has taken a major step backward in 2026.
The numbers tell the story. Herbert ranks 23rd in passing yards with 1,398, is tied for 28th in passing touchdowns with five, sits 31st in interceptions with 10, and has completed 61.8 percent of his throws.
Protection hasn’t helped much. Herbert has been sacked 31 times in eight games, putting him on pace to top his career-high sack total from last season.
Los Angeles is still trying to steady itself, but the Chargers are running out of room to fix what’s gone wrong. Herbert’s slump is only part of a much larger mess.
In Other News...
Chargers Just Trimmed A Position Group Fans Were Already Watching
The Chargers made a small but notable change at tight end, trimming a position group that had already been under the microscope as the roster continues to settle. Hayden Rucci was waived, ending another stint on the active side of the transaction wire for a player who has bounced between practice squads and rosters with multiple NFL teams.
Los Angeles also moved on from Evan Svoboda off the practice squad injured list, another sign that the back end of the roster is being reshaped as the team sorts through depth and availability. The current practice squad is now listed with those moves reflected, and for a position group that often hinges on special teams value and short-term health, every opening can change the conversation quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Herbert Trade Interest Just Added To Chargers Fans Misery
The Chargers rough start has only made every Justin Herbert storyline feel heavier, and the latest one only adds to the noise around a team already searching for answers. Herbert left the loss to the Houston Texans with a middle finger injury on his left hand, though X-rays and imaging showed no fracture, a small bit of relief in a season that has otherwise gone nowhere for Los Angeles.
Even with Herbert still central to everything the Chargers hope to build, his name has already surfaced in trade chatter from around the league. Before the Minnesota Vikings landed Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders, they reportedly checked in on Herbert, a reminder of how highly he is regarded even as the Chargers sit at 0-8 and try to steady a season that keeps slipping further away. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Quarterback Search Was More Aggressive Than Fans Realized
The Vikings quarterback search apparently reached farther than most people realized before they settled on Kirk Cousins, and it included a check-in on Chargers star Justin Herbert. Minnesota was looking for ways to stabilize its offense and explored several options along the way, including Daniel Jones and Geno Smith, before ultimately bringing Cousins back from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Herbert, of course, was never truly on the market. The Chargers immediately rejected every inquiry about him, making it clear he was not available even with the team off to a winless start, and his no-trade clause only reinforced that stance. For a quarterback-needy team like Minnesota, it was a reminder of how ambitious the search got before the final move came together. [Read more 🡒]