Until the NFL trade deadline takes effect on Nov. 10, you can be sure that teams across the league are going to continue calling on the Los Angeles Chargers. It's simply a matter of whether Joe Hortiz backs down from his current stance or not.
According to all the national reporting that's come out so far, Hortiz has suggested that the Chargers are not interested in selling off pieces of their roster ahead of the deadline. At 0-7, it's left other teams somewhat confounded. What could Los Angeles see that's worth salvaging in this team?
The answer, at least for Hortiz, likely depends on the path he's charting to bring this team back into competitiveness in 2027. By no means should there be a full tear-down of this roster—meaning that moving off of any of its stars shouldn't truly be considered as an option.
There are, of course, players that could be moved—especially those with expiring contracts—to amass additional draft capital this offseason, including Donte Jackson, Dalvin Tomlinson, Denzel Perryman, and Kimani Vidal. But given the splashy nature of the trades made ahead of the deadline so far, there will certainly be a number of near-contenders poking around the Chargers to see if they can come away with a star in the next five days.
Los Angeles will likely receive some calls about these three players, but even if the front office reverses course on its current trade deadline stance, they should be off the table.
The Chargers may not entertain any trade talks—but they especially can't afford to ship out their stars
1. Tuli Tuipulotu, OLB
Of course, speculation is going to abound regarding Tuipulotu until the Chargers are able to lock him down long-term, and it's unclear why they haven't done so yet. Sure, Tuipulotu is having a down year compared to his 13-sack campaign in 2025, and waiting that out may give Los Angeles an edge in negotiations if they stretch into this offseason.
But whether it's at the trade deadline or free agency, there are always a number of teams willing to pay top dollar for a piece that's perceived as a top edge rusher. If Tuipulotu makes it to the open market, there will be suitors. And with Khalil Mack potentially in the final year of his NFL career, Los Angeles simply can't afford to let Tuipulotu go.
A trade involving him, at this point, would likely net a second-round pick. That simply isn't a high enough price to walk away with an irrevocably depleted pass rush, with just Akheem Mesidor as the only key piece under contract beyond this year.
2. Ladd McConkey, WR
Fanbases across the league, and particularly the Pittsburgh Steelers', have started to circle McConkey as a potential target at the deadline. In a vacuum, it's a fair thought—Pittsburgh needs to round out its receiving corps, and it appears the Chargers need to overhaul much of this offense before they can return to playoff contention themselves.
McConkey may not be capable of being the undisputed alpha receiver on a top offensive team, but he's the type of speedy, YAC-capable player that could perfectly complement a bulky, dynamic deep-threat X receiver if Los Angeles had the right offensive infrastructure in place. Even while being limited with various injuries, he's still the Chargers' leading receiver through six games, having posted 17 receptions for 286 yards and a touchdown even while the offense as a whole has sputtered.
He's also got one more year under cost-effective team control, and the Chargers likely won't hesitate to pick up his fifth-year option, especially if they can get Quentin Johnston off the books before then.
3. Derwin James Jr., S
It's hard to pinpoint what team would be willing to take on James' before the three-year, $75 million extension he signed with the Chargers this past offseason even takes effect, especially considering the injury issues he's dealt with this season. But teams, especially with the modern complexion of the NFL's trade landscape, get desperate around the deadline, and any team looking to give its defense another veteran leader and a majorly versatile piece could, at least theoretically, have interest. The potential out after 2027 on James' contract helps things there as well.
But the Chargers, for better or worse, have committed to James as a cornerstone of this defense moving forward. He's the type of piece that, when he's at full strength, could help solidify O'Leary's secondary even further, bringing consistent performance at all three levels and helping shore up some of the overarching depth concerns this unit still faces. Perhaps this is a move to be considered in 2027 depending on where the Chargers fall in terms of Super Bowl contention.
But it shouldn't be a knee-jerk reaction to one disastrous campaign on the part of the offense.
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