With the departure of Benjamin St-Juste in free agency, the Los Angeles Chargers desperately need to add another cornerback this offseason.
Letting St-Juste walk at the number he retrieved, which was a two-year, $9.8 million contract with the Green Bay Packers, made sense. Although he was highly impactful in his limited role in Jesse Minter's secondary, the Chargers are obviously confident in their ability to replace his production at a cheaper price.
But with a new defensive coordinator in Chris O'Leary and a relatively young cornerback room led by Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, they have to make sure they get this right. Taking a cornerback on Day 2 or 3 of the draft could be a viable option. Players like D'Angelo Ponds, Chris Johnson, and Brandon Cisse could all be available in the second round.
But the reality is the Chargers only have five selections in the upcoming draft, with needs to fill at offensive guard and at multiple positions along their defense. If the cornerback class ultimately doesn't break their way, they could quickly be on the market for a trade.
Renardo Green of the San Francisco 49ers was recently listed as an under-the-radar trade candidate by Alex Kay at Bleacher Report. If he ultimately does become available, especially at a low price, he could be Los Angeles' ideal defensive gamble.
Renardo Green could take a major step forward in the Chargers' scheme
Since the 49ers selected Green in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he's failed to truly take the steps San Francisco has needed of him. He's got potential as a quick and physical coverage corner, but mental lapses and unnecessary gambles have limited his effectiveness. Per Pro Football Focus, Green ranked 92nd out of 114 eligible cornerbacks last season in overall grade.
The 49ers have denied that Green is a trade candidate this offseason. But there are questions about his fit under new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris's scheme. With his fifth-year option looming next offseason, it wouldn't be a massive surprise if San Francisco chooses to move off of him.
O'Leary still has to prove his mettle in Los Angeles. But his extensive work under Minter inspires confidence that he'll be able to elevate the secondary in the same way his mentor did over the past two seasons.
With two seasons of team control remaining at a combined cap hit of less than $4 million, Green could be the exact type of fast-twitch developmental piece that O'Leary could quickly turn into a productive player. Even if the Chargers weren't to pick up his fifth-year option, they could certainly benefit in the compensatory pick formula. (Looking at you, Joe Hortiz)
If rumors start swirling around Green after the NFL Draft and the Chargers' cornerback room still isn't full, it's reasonable to expect there to be at least some interest some offseason.