The Chargers are staring at the NFL trade deadline as obvious sellers, and that puts a few names on the board - including Khalil Mack and Quentin Johnston.
Mack is the cleanest fit for a move. He signed another one-year deal with Los Angeles this past offseason after weighing retirement, and shipping him to a contender would make sense even if the return is modest. The idea of a deal has already floated around, with the Chargers in a position where doing right by a veteran on the back end of his career should matter.
Johnston is a different kind of possibility, but he belongs in the same conversation. Los Angeles picked up the former first-rounder’s fifth-year option, yet the reasons for concern are still there. His issues as a route-runner and his drop problems have shown up again, and through five appearances he ranks third on the Chargers in receiving with eight catches on 21 targets.
That’s why New England has surfaced as a possible trade partner. The Patriots are 4-3 in the AFC East, two games behind the 5-1 Buffalo Bills and 2-0 in division play, so they’re in the mix. Mike Vrabel and Co. also have every reason to be aggressive about proving this season is not a bust.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer pointed to both Mack and Johnston as logical Patriots targets. “I think stylistically he would really fit Mike Vrabel as a bigger, more rugged edge,” Breer said, according to Michael Hurley of NBC Sports Boston. “Quentin Johnston's another player that you could look at, somebody that may not have a future in Los Angeles."
The Chargers also happen to have some players who look very Patriots-like, which only strengthens the fit. That makes New England a natural team for Los Angeles to call often over the next few weeks, whether it turns into an actual deal or just gives the Chargers leverage as they try to maximize value while selling.
And if Los Angeles keeps trending toward that seller’s lane, Johnston is the kind of player who could be moved out of the picture. The article also notes that even if the Chargers don’t keep rolling with Mike McDaniel’s system for the rest of the year or even into 2027, keeping Johnston wouldn’t make much sense. With Ladd McConkey as the exception, the rest of the depth chart may need a reset, especially if the Chargers are still in position to chase Jeremiah Smith at No. 1 overall in next year’s draft.
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