The Los Angeles Chargers are still taking the same stance: no trades, no panic, no quick moves, even with the season sitting at 0-6. They have two more games before the November 10 trade deadline, and the pressure around the roster is only going to grow if that record slips to 0-8.
That hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from working overtime. Since the Chargers dropped to 0-3, trade chatter has followed the team, especially around players who could be viewed as expendable because of contract situations or the team’s direction. The offense has looked rough enough that almost anything seems to be getting discussed.
The name that keeps coming up most often is veteran edge rusher Khalil Mack. NFL insider Tomy Pelissero floated 10 possible Chargers who could be moved, but Mack and running back Kimani Vidal are the two names that have stayed in the conversation most consistently.
Still, the speculation has started to stretch beyond the obvious candidates. As the Chargers continue to look like a team headed toward the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft, it would not be shocking for other clubs to ask about players who would normally feel untouchable.
That is where Ladd McConkey enters the picture. The wideout could surface as a possible trade target for an AFC contender, with the Pittsburgh Steelers mentioned as a team that could be in the market. McConkey would fit Aaron Rodgers’ style, at least on paper.
But that’s all it is right now: speculation. There’s no indication the Steelers have actually reached out, and if they did inquire about McConkey, the answer from Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz should be simple.
If Pittsburgh is searching for receiver help, the likely answer is to look somewhere else.
McConkey has been the one reliable piece in a Chargers passing game that has been a mess over the first six weeks. He is not fully healthy at the moment, but when he has been on the field, he has been the only functional target for Justin Herbert. In year three of his rookie contract, McConkey has established himself as a dependable option since entering the league, and he is not the kind of player the Chargers should move.
There could be a time when the Chargers are willing to listen on McConkey. This season does not look like that time.
In Other News...
Yahya Black Is Giving Steelers Fans Another Reason To Trust This Defense
Yahya Black has quietly become one of the more interesting developments on Pittsburghs defense this season. With Derrick Harmon sidelined, Blacks role has grown, and while the box score and grading metrics may not fully capture it, the tape shows a lineman doing the dirty work that helps the Steelers run defense hold up. He has been clogging lanes, taking on double teams and making life harder for backs trying to find clean space inside.
There is also a little more to his game than just eating blocks, which matters for a defense that wants dependable pieces it can keep on the field. Black has started to show improvement as a pass rusher, giving Pittsburgh a more versatile presence up front and making him increasingly playable in more situations. For a team that leans on its defense to set the tone, that kind of growth is another reason to trust what this unit can still be. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Have A Trade Deadline Question Fans Will Fight Over
With the NFL trade deadline drawing closer, the Steelers are in the familiar position of weighing whether a midseason move could help a roster that still has obvious edges to smooth out. Pittsburgh has about $14.5 million in salary cap space, enough to at least take a serious look at the market if the right deal appears, and the early chatter is already pointing in several directions depending on which part of the roster the front office believes needs the most help.
The names being floated span the board, from cornerback Tariq Woolen and wideout Jauan Jennings to linebacker Frankie Luvu, guard Quenton Nelson and safety Jessie Bates III, which tells you how many different conversations could be happening at once. The bigger question is not just who is available, but whether Pittsburgh wants a short-term fix in a rental type of move or prefers to keep its powder dry and trust what it has, a choice that usually gets fans arguing long before the deadline actually arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Joey Porter Jr Is Reopening An Uncomfortable Steelers Debate
Joey Porter Jr. has become a reminder of what the Steelers used to have at cornerback, and the contrast has been hard to ignore. Now with Dallas, Porter has been sharp in coverage this season, while Pittsburghs secondary looked vulnerable again in its Week 7 game against New Orleans, giving up a string of completions and too many easy yards in the back end.
The comparison is uncomfortable because it goes beyond a single rough afternoon. Porter has been doing his part for the Cowboys, while the Steelers are left sorting through another week where their defensive backs did not hold up the way they needed to, and that only sharpens the old question about how Pittsburgh evaluated and moved on from the young corner. [Read more 🡒]