Los Angeles Chargers: Why the Chargers could trade down in the draft
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Chargers have the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and could use that position to add even more draft capital to the arsenal.
For the third time in the last five years, the Los Angeles Chargers have a draft pick in the top seven overall. The team selected Joey Bosa with the third overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and selected Mike Williams with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
With the departure of Philip Rivers, who will likely be donning a different uniform for the first time in his career, many expect the Los Angeles Chargers to select a quarterback with the sixth overall pick. And while in most years it would be a foregone conclusion, that is not the case for the Chargers this offseason.
That is because this offseason is going to present the biggest quarterback shakeup that the NFL has seen in quite some time. The Chargers don’t have to draft a quarterback, as there are several options that the team could pursue in free agency.
The fate of the Chargers’ draft selection very much depends on free agency. Once we see whether or not the team signs a quarterback we will essentially know who the team is going to take in the first round.
However, whether the team signs a quarterback or not, there definitely is a case to be made of trading the sixth overall pick down in the draft to pick up more capital to help build the roster. Here is why it makes sense, both if the Chargers need a quarterback and if they don’t.