Daiyan Henley deserves his flowers as a leader of this Los Angeles Chargers defense.
Even as the season has collapsed under the theoretically skillful hands of Mike McDaniel and the offense, Chris O'Leary and the Chargers defense have found a way to keep their spirits alive, battling on a week-to-week basis and, now, closing in on a spot among the NFL's top 10 units on that side of the ball. To this point in the season, they're fourth in total passing yards allowed, 16th in total rushing, and sixth in interception percentage—all overwhelmingly positive numbers considering the caliber of offenses the unit has faced so far.
Henley is a leader of this defense, and he deserves his credit for keeping them engaged and dominant—especially considering the disadvantageous situations the offense has routinely but them in.
But Henley isn't a perfect player, even as he rounds out the final year of his rookie deal. As strong as he is working his way downhill on the blitz and as many flashes as he can show defending and fitting the run, there are still inconsistencies in his coverage abilities and tackling that can be frustrating at times. He hasn't necessarily been able to work his way back onto the path toward top linebacker status since the start of last season because of these struggles.
Even if the Chargers are willing to reverse their trade deadline stance between now and Nov. 10, Henley almost certainly shouldn't be on the table for a trade. But the considerations, for Los Angeles, shouldn't stop there.
All of Henley, Denzel Perryman, and Troy Dye will be free agents after this season. If Los Angeles doesn't plan on extending Henley this offseason, where do they take the linebacker room from here?
If the Chargers aren't sure of Daiyan Henley's status beyond this season, perhaps it's better to hang onto Denzel Perryman
Again, the Chargers' current (publicly projected) stance on the trade deadline is that they won't be taking calls on their players even as they enter Week 9 with an 0-7 record.
If that changes, though, over the next few days, the potential candidates are relatively obvious—if we're leaving the stars off the table, Perryman, Donte Jackson, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Khalil Mack are all on expiring contracts and could be shipped out for late-round draft capital.
But this team needs to have a clear picture of its future whether it starts to move those sorts of pieces or not.
At the very least, O'Leary has proven himself as the Chargers' defensive coordinator of the future. And if Los Angeles is going to have any hope of putting together a playoff-caliber team next season, it's going to start, as usual on the defensive side of the ball. As important as an offensive overhaul will be, the front office can't afford to strip O'Leary of his depth at the cost of re-calibrating the offense. Those are tasks that will need to be balanced carefully this offseason.
As of now, it's unclear what Los Angeles would be willing to pay Henley on a potential multi-year extension. The top inside linebackers in the league are earning somewhere around $20 million annually—so that would likely leave Henley in the $15 to $16 million range, a massive pay raise from the $3.9 million he's owed this season. The Chargers also need to account for the looming Tuli Tuipulotu extension as well as the fifth-year option for Quentin Johstnon in 2027—Joe Alt's fifth-year option and Ladd McConkey's extension in 2028 also would factor into play here.
The Chargers do have depth in this room beyond Henley. Del'Shawn Phillips has emerged as a real starting option moving forward, and Marlowe Wax is likely ready to take on an enhanced role in the normal course of the defense. But losing all of Henley, Perryman, and Dye this offseason simply isn't an option—and trading Perryman at the deadline, now that he's returned from the injured reserve and appears set to make his season debut, would only put them at greater risk of that outcome.
Letting Henley walk this offseason would impact more than the linebacker room, moreover. The Chargers need to keep as much continuity as they can on that side of the ball while re-shaping their depth in the cornerback room and in the pass rush as they prepare for 2027. Losing Henley, even if it's the best move financially, would be a step in the wrong direction in that regard.
In short, Henley isn't a trade candidate for Los Angeles at the deadline, nor should he be. But the Chargers still need to have a clear picture of his future as they chart a path forward to 2027 and beyond—regardless of whether Hortiz reverses his deadline stance or not.
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