The Los Angeles Chargers didn't have a completely quiet deadline, although it didn't live up to the expectations that many had for the team as they exited Week 9 with an 0-8 record.
Many of the pieces on expiring contracts—including Denzel Perryman, Dalvin Tomlinson, Donte Jackson, and David Njoku—are still on the roster. Perhaps some of those pieces will be brought back this offseason, and perhaps others will ultimately be factored into Joe Hortiz's beloved compensatory pick formula.
The Chargers did make it impossible, though, to criticize them for being completely inactive at the deadline. They shipped off Daiyan Henley, who was on the final year of his rookie deal, to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 2027 fourth-rounder and a 2028 fifth-rounder. It's an unfortunate ending to Henley's time in Los Angeles, especially given the promise he showed during his rookie year. But if the Chargers had no realistic intentions of extending him at the annual value he'd likely command, it was almost certainly the right move.
The Broncos also seemed to a pay a 'division tax' here for the deal, which sweetened the pot for the Chargers a bit.
But with the question of paying Henley this offseason now off the table, it's worth asking the question—does this mean a Tuli Tuipulotu extension is close to a certainty? At the very least, it doesn't seem like Los Angeles would be willing to let both players walk easily.
Tuli Tuipulotu's extension becomes the biggest concern of the Chargers' offseason after Daiyan Henley trade
Obviously, the Chargers would've liked to extend Henley if it was possible. Per The Athletic's Noah Furtado via X, Los Angeles, at the very least, made overtures in that direction at some point during this past offseason or during this campaign.
But the reality is that Henley had not yet justified the $15 or $16 million annual value he was going to command on his next deal. He showed major star potential during a breakout campaign in 2024, but off-field factors led to a dip in production at the start of 2025—his inconsistencies and coverage and as a run defender since then would have only forced the Chargers to walk a narrower tightrope when it came to negotiating an extension.
There are certainly some questions to be asked, also, about the future of the inside linebacker room now that this deal is done. Troy Dye and Perryman will be free agents, and the Chargers will need to figure out whether they trust Del'Shawn Phillips and Marlowe Wax as cornerstones of the defense moving forward.
But the other effect of this trade is that Tuipulotu now becomes the lone major concern for the Chargers in free agency. Although he's having a bit of a down year—having posted just three sacks through eight games compared to the 13 he amassed in 2025 under Jesse Minter—he's still the future of this pass rush for Los Angeles, and he's likely going to command somewhere close to $25 million annually in free agency.
It's odd, in fact, that the Chargers didn't get a deal done with Tuipulotu prior to the start of the season. This may very well be Khalil Mack's final season in the NFL, and although their selection of Akheem Mesidor in the first round of the draft has paid dividends, he's not nearly ready to take over as an alpha pass rusher or an anchor of a defense. Los Angeles will be markedly worse if Tuipulotu doesn't return next season, and allowing him to hit free agency will be a major risk in that regard.
But by moving off of Henley's deal, the Chargers may have essentially opened up the books for Tuipulotu—they have no other internal free agents this offseason that will command significant deals, and they should have close to $100 million in cap space at their disposal again this offseason.
It's far from a guarantee. Los Angeles will still have to pay Quentin Johnston's fifth-year option next year, and they'll need to negotiate an extension for Ladd McConkey that kicks in in 2028 along with Joe Alt's potential fifth-year option.
But it's hard to imagine that the Chargers would let both Henley and Tuipulotu walk, at least if they have any say in the matter, and that money is now free to funnel toward Los Angeles' star pass rusher.
Add us as a preferred source on Google