The LA Chargers should look at Trent Brown to protect the blind side

Justin Herbert is the quarterback of the next decade for the LA Chargers. The offense is set with the skill position players. Sure, keeping tight end Hunter Henry is great but the tight end position is a luxury position. Wide receivers and quarterback are the most important pieces to an offense.

The next most important piece to an offense is the offensive line. Hall of Fame GM Bill Polian believed there are three important positions necessary on a team for the team to have success. The quarterback, defensive end/pass rusher and left tackle. Herbert and Joey Bosa check off the first two boxes. However, left tackle still leaves a lot to be desired.

Earlier this week it was reported that the Las Vegas Raiders are potentially shopping starting right tackle, Trent Brown. It’s not often a right tackle can switch sides on the line and be successful. Typically, right tackles are players who just aren’t quick and athletic enough to handle the opponent’s premier pass rusher.

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There are three recent instances that buck this trend. Baltimore’s Orlando Brown moved from the right to left tackle after Ronnie Stanely was lost for the year. Kansas City’s Eric Fisher is another tackle that started his career as a right tackle before switching sides. The final example is Trent Brown.

Brown was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers to be their right tackle. He was then traded to the New England Patriots where he played left tackle for a year. After that year he hit free agency and signed with the Raiders.

They decided to play him back at his original position because they liked their starting left tackle better. The LA Chargers can use upgrades at pretty much every spot on their offensive line.

Trent Brown would be an upgrade for the LA Chargers.

According to Pro Football Focus, last year Brown grades out at 68.9 overall. That is better than starter the Chargers have. Starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga grades out at 61.6 as the highest on the team. So, acquiring Brown is a no brainer of a move.

Acquire Brown and for at least 2021 he can start at left tackle. Then next year, the Chargers can look to upgrade their left tackle and move Brown to right tackle; subsequently moving Bulaga to a guard spot before his current contract expires in 2023.

It remains to be seen what the Raiders are targeting for a return on Brown. The easiest assumption is draft pick(s). The Chargers own the 13th overall pick, four spots ahead of division rival Raiders.

The Chargers could offer up their first-round pick for Brown. It can be argued that’s a steep price for a right tackle. However, if the LA Chargers would make this deal with the intention of Brown being their starting left tackle. This is easily a good trade for both sides.