The LA Chargers have overachieved in 2024 as this season was meant to be a soft rebuild under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Instead, the Chargers are a playoff team that no division winner wants to see in the first round.
Los Angeles is even more dangerous in the future. The Chargers have more assets to play with in the 2025 offseason, allowing the front office to build on the remarkable job Harbaugh and his coaching staff has done this season.
Some of these resources may manifest in trades for the Chargers. General manager Joe Hortiz has already shown he is not afraid to trade for talent and there are some interesting names who may be available in the spring for the Bolts to consider.
Chargers should trade for Joel Bitonio
Joel Bitonio has emerged as a potential trade chip this offseason due to his contract and the current status of the Cleveland Browns. Bitonio has one more year under contract in Cleveland and in good faith, the team may trade him somewhere he can contend next season before he eventually calls is a career.
Cleveland is well over the projected salary cap for next season to it makes sense to shed salary wherever possible. Trading Bitonio with a post-June 1 designation would save the Browns $8.37 million in cap space next season but it does complicate a deal as it would then have to happen after the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Browns may prefer to get draft capital in 2025 but if this is a good-faith deal to save some money and accrue future draft capital then it certainly could happen over the summer. Bitonio may no longer be in his prime, but he would be a cost-effective way to add an experienced veteran to a bad interior offensive line room when there are not many other options available.
Chargers should trade for Garrett Wilson
Dysfunction in New York has opened the door for the Jets to trade Garrett Wilson this offseason and the Chargers should be one of the team's on speed dial if so. Wilson so clearly has franchise wide receiver potential and would be a much-needed addition to the Chargers' receiving corps.
Wilson is playing under the last year of his rookie deal in 2025 so he would not have a huge impact on the Chargers' cap. With the second-least amount of salary on the books in the league for 2026, the Chargers would easily be able to extend Wilson after the 2025 season.
If the Jets were smart they would keep Wilson and squash and trade rumors. But NFL teams aren't always smart (especially the Jets) and if this relationship becomes damaged beyond repair then it makes sense for New York to sell high on Wilson.
It does not matter if it costs a first-round pick. It would be worth it for the Chargers.
Chargers should trade for Marlon Humphrey
Marlon Humphrey is a big name and he may not seem like someone who could actually be traded this offseason. However, the Baltimore Ravens' cap situation, and Humphrey approaching 30, might prompt the team to sell high on the big-name cornerback.
The Ravens only have $17 million in projected cap space next season with 42 players on the roster. That is enough for Baltimore to get by but with an incoming draft class and the need to fill out a roster it is cutting it close. Humphrey has the second-largest cap hit on the team and the Ravens would save $12.4 million by trading him.
Additionally, only seven teams in the league have less projected cap space in 2026 than the Ravens. Baltimore has big-name players who are free agents that offseason (headlined by Kyle Hamilton and Mark Andrews) and may need to pre-emptively create space for those players. Humphrey would carry a $22.9 million cap hit in 2026 if he stayed in Baltimore.
While Humphrey's best days might be behind him, he has played well this season and is a natural fit in Jesse Minter's defense. Minter coached Humphrey in Baltimore so he would slide in nicely as a veteran who understands the defense and can play alongside young corners in Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still.
Humphrey is also a natural fit in the slot for the Chargers. Humphrey has played 242 snaps in the slot this season and has the lowest passer rating allowed of any player with at least 100 coverage snaps in the slot.