Did the Chargers make a mistake by not trading for Odell Beckham?

Where would the Los Angeles Chargers be today if the team had acquired the receiver last year?

In the 2019 offseason, the Los Angeles Chargers were coming off a year that saw them win a total of 12 games and earn a spot in the playoffs. Even with an offense that was led by Philip Rivers, Melvin Gordon, and Keenan Allen, it felt like the Chargers needed just a little something more to get them over the hump.

In March of 2019, the New York Giants made the surprising decision to trade their star receiver, Odell Beckham, to the Cleveland Browns. It sent shockwaves around the NFL, but it was something that also revealed that Beckham could have been acquired in a trade.

Knowing now that the Giants were willing to listen to the offers, what prevented Los Angeles from making an attempt to acquire the star receiver? Yes, the Chargers already had Allen as their top pass-catcher, but Beckham would have potentially vaulted the team to an even higher level.

Will the Los Angeles Chargers regret not acquiring Odell Beckham in 2019?

Aside from the immense talent that he possesses, Beckham would have been a great player for Los Angeles to market as they moved into their new stadium during the upcoming season.

The Chargers fan base has become a target of ridicule around the league since they moved from San Diego and adding another star receiver to their offense would have given even the casual football fan in Los Angeles more of reason to attend a game.

Currently, the Chargers have a talented receiving duo in Allen and Mike Williams. But adding Beckham would have immediately given Los Angeles the best pass-catching duo in the NFL.

The immense talent of both Allen and Beckham would have allowed the other to flourish out on the field each week. Opposing defenses would no longer be able to double-cover either one of them as both would take full advantage of the resulting mismatch.

Adding Beckham could have potentially extended Rivers’ tenure with the Chargers too. The receiver’s arrival could’ve added a few more years onto the quarterback’s long career much like Beckham did for Eli Manning in New York.

Los Angeles was never reportedly in the mix to acquire the current Browns receiver and anything that involved Beckham landing with the Chargers was nothing more than just pure speculation. But if Los Angeles actually did attempt to trade for him, it could have resulted in something very special.