Justin Herbert’s name briefly entered the trade conversation this week, but the Chargers didn’t budge.
According to Schultz, the Vikings reached out to Los Angeles about Herbert before they made their move for Kirk Cousins. The Chargers, Schultz reported, “immediately shut down all inquiries for Herbert.” Minnesota also checked on Daniel Jones and Geno Smith before landing Cousins on Tuesday in a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders that sent a 2027 third-round pick the other way.
The inquiry came during a brutal stretch for Herbert and the Chargers, who are 0-8 in a season that has gone off the rails. Sunday made it even uglier.
Los Angeles was blown out at home by the Texans, and Herbert left with an injury to the middle finger of his left hand in the 44-22 loss. Jim Harbaugh later said X-rays and imaging showed no fracture.
Even with the season spiraling, the Chargers made their position clear: Herbert was not available.
The numbers help explain why teams would ask, even if the answer was always going to be no. Through eight games of the 2026 season, Herbert has thrown for 1,591 yards with six touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. Last season, he completed 66.4% of his passes, piled up 3,727 yards and threw 26 touchdowns, with 13 interceptions over the full year.
What has gone so wrong in 2026 will be a major offseason question. For now, though, the Chargers are stuck with the record, the injuries and a star quarterback they refused to move.
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 🡒]
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 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Backfield Problem Deadline Day Couldnt Fix
The trade deadline came and went with plenty of movement around the league, but the Chargers were left mostly on the sidelines as other contenders reshaped their rosters. Chicago landed Jeffery Simmons from Tennessee, Jacksonville added Jordan Davis, Jessie Bates III and Davon Godchaux, and the market kept buzzing around big names who never actually changed teams, including Justin Herbert, Khalil Mack and Tony Pollard.
For Los Angeles, the quiet finish only sharpened the sense that there was business to be done, especially with injuries and contract questions still hovering over the roster. The Chargers did make one move, dealing Daiyan Henley to Denver for fourth- and fifth-round picks, but the bigger question was whether they had enough flexibility to address their needs in a deadline that offered a few tempting options and no easy answers. [Read more 🡒]