The Los Angeles Chargers’ trade deadline stance has become its own kind of mystery, and now it’s apparently puzzling other teams, too.
Despite sitting at 0-6 and holding the top spot in the NFL draft order, the Chargers have not acted like a club ready to unload talent. That has already left their own fanbase wondering what the plan is, especially after a bye week passed without any changes, including at offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Now the confusion has spread beyond Los Angeles. The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones reported, “The Chargers have confounded teams by not engaging in trade talks.
The Bolts are 0-6 but are telling teams Khalil Mack isn’t available. It’s hard to envision that remaining the case over the next 10 days.”
That’s where the real issue starts to show. Teams can say one thing publicly and do another behind closed doors.
That part of the trade-season game is normal. What stands out here is that other teams seem genuinely surprised by how little the Chargers are willing to discuss, even off the record.
At 0-6, standing still is hard to justify. The Chargers have one of, if not the worst, rosters in football, are sitting on cap space they won’t spend, and are holding onto trade pieces like Khalil Mack. Selling now would clear money, bring in future assets, open snaps for younger players and improve their chances at the No. 1 pick.
Instead, the Chargers are still acting like a team that won’t budge. And that stubbornness, more than anything else, is what’s making people around the league take notice.
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