The Los Angeles Chargers should seriously consider a trade package from the Philadelphia Eagles if it includes a first-rounder and an offensive lineman.
After news broke that Melvin Gordon would not report to training camp without a new contract, rumors swirled about what the Chargers’ response would be. True to form, the Chargers have stayed quiet, and apparently, the two sides aren’t close to a deal.
With so many players wanting and needing new, hefty contracts in the next couple of seasons on a talented team prepped for another deep playoff run, the Chargers are in a difficult spot. If Gordon chooses to sit out the season, the Chargers will lose one of their best offensive weapons and create unnecessary drama during a season that should be hyper-focused on how to get deeper into the playoffs this season.
In order to avoid that drama, if the Chargers do not believe Gordon is worth the money he is asking for, a trade should be considered. However, with the devaluation of the running back position in the NFL, the Chargers may find it difficult to garner the type of return in players and/or draft picks they desire for a player of Gordon’s caliber.
The Chargers should stand firm in their request for at least one first-round draft pick, as recent trades for Pro Bowlers have yielded. One team the Chargers could and should look to strike a deal with is the Eagles. General manager Howie Roseman has never been afraid to make splash moves to push his team closer to a Super Bowl and a quick scan of their running back depth shows Jordan Howard (who was acquired in a trade earlier this offseason), and not much else.
Gordon may be the type of player that pushes them back into the Super Bowl conversation and Roseman has shown a willingness to part with draft picks for the right player(s). Likewise, the Chargers may be able to stomach only getting one first-round draft pick from the Eagles if they are willing to include one of their offensive linemen as part of the trade.