If there was ever a year for the Chargers to trade back in the NFL Draft, it's 2026. With only five selections and no clear-cut favorite to select with the No. 22 pick, it would behoove the Chargers to move back and collect more draft capital.
The key to executing this strategy may lie in the quarterback position. Alabama's Ty Simpson has been picking up steam as we head to April's showcase and may be the catalyst that helps the Chargers move down. After all, we already saw this exact same scenario play out last year with Jaxson Dart.
The league itself seems to think Simpson going in the first round is a real possibility. Simpson was confirmed as one of 16 players who will attend the draft in Pittsburgh in person. While it doesn't guarantee anything, it does spark some conspiracy theories that overwhelmingly help the Chargers.
Ty Simpson attending the 2026 NFL Draft is unbridled good news for the Chargers
The NFL has no idea how the draft is going to shake out and just because someone is invited doesn't mean they are going to be taken in the first round. After all, there have been several examples in years past of prospects watching themselves akwardly fall out of the first round from the green room.
That being said, the NFL has reduced the number of players who attend the draft in person for that very reason. The league doesn't invite someone unless they are a key figure in the draft who has a real chance of going in the first round. Simpson's invitation suggests real league chatter behind the scenes.
And that lines up perfectly with the Chargers. While they won't be the only team that benefits from trading down, they do sit at a key spot with the No. 22 pick. It's not too high where it will cost an arm and a leg, but it's high enough for a team with a pick in the early 30s to outbid a team later in the second round.
Plus, it absolutely helps that the Chargers are picking one spot ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles. GM Howie Roseman is a master on draft night and would absolutely fleece a QB-hungry team for more draft capital. Being on the clock before Roseman can work his magic is a huge benefit to the Chargers.
Of course, it's impossible to know what will actually happen on draft night. For all we know, a dream prospect could fall to the Chargers at 22, forcing the team's hand to simply take the player that will help the most in 2026 and beyond.
But that's unlikely. And with Simpson attending the draft in person, it seems more likely than before that a team will trade up to secure his services. That's where the Chargers can strike.