The LA Chargers cut Joey Bosa in what was one of the least surprising big moves of the NFL offseason. Los Angeles freed up over $25 million in cap space with move, which came after multiple seasons of injuries and mediocre play.
Bosa found a new home with the Buffalo Bills while the Chargers have not replaced his spot on the depth chart. While the team was able to re-sign Khalil Mack to a one-year deal, it would still benefit from adding another body in what is an aging edge-rusher room.
Perhaps that body could come from the 2025 NFL Draft. By taking this approach, the Chargers would be replacing Bosa's spot in the depth chart right away while also preparing for a future that won't have Mack or Bud Dupree.
Doing so with the No. 22 pick is easier said than done. Thus, the Chargers could look to make noise and trade up in the first round to land a promising edge rusher. Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame recently put together an entire first round full of trades, and that is exactly what the Bolts did.
Chargers trade up for Georgia's Mykel Williams in proposed deal
Mykel Williams is someone who Chargers fans were interested in with the No. 22 pick early on in the draft process. However, as more time has gone on, it has become abundantly clear that Williams likely won't last that long on draft night.
Williams' versatility is one of his biggest selling points heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. One of the best pure athletes at his position in the draft, Williams showcased the ability to play anywhere along the defensive line with the Bulldogs.
That won't translate quite as much right away as no NFL team is going to line Williams up at nose tackle on first down against Derrick Henry. However, in the long run, Williams has the ability to play both inside and outside, especially in passing downs.
In the short-term, Williams would be the perfect versatile chess piece to add to the edge rusher room. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter would tap into his versatility and line him up in an array of situations to make him successful in his rookie year.
He may only play 50% of defensive snaps early on but it would all be part of the process. In theory, Williams would prove to be a valuable third edge rusher (like Tuli Tuipulotu was in his rookie season) before blossoming into someone who replaces Mack.
The biggest question is if he would be worth this aggressive of a trade up in the 2025 NFL Draft. As promising as he is, this would be poor resource management for the Chargers. There are other promising edge rushers the team could consider at 22 (or even 55), so trading both of those picks to move up 10 spots for Williams is not palatable.
If the price was cheaper, or if the Chargers were moving up just a handful of selections for Williams, then it could make sense. At this construction, though, Williams upside simply is not worth the cost.