The 2024 NFL trade deadline is right around the corner and the LA Chargers are expected to be active. General manager Joe Hortiz has made it clear that he will be aggressive in improving the roster by any means necessary.
The biggest need fans have highlighted is at the wide receiver position. However, that is not the only roster hole the Chargers need to address, and it might not be the biggest one.
Los Angeles released its first injury report of the week on Wednesday. Among the laundry list of recognizable players was one bonafide takeaway: the Chargers need help at the cornerback position.
wednesday’s #LACvsCLE injury report pic.twitter.com/ulRvHp0Fdu
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) October 30, 2024
Chargers injury report highlights team's need to trade for a cornerback
Kristian Fulton did not practice on Wednesday because of a hamstring injury and it does not bode well for his Week 9 status. While Fulton could still play in Week 9, his inclusion on the injury report highlights bigger concerns about his health.
Fulton has had documented knee issues both before his time with the Chargers and during. While he has stayed mostly healthy in 2024, Fulton does not have a clean track record and could be a risk of missing time at some points this season.
Any concerns about Fulton are in conjunction with Asante Samuel Jr.'s place on the IR. Samuel is eligible to come off the IR as early as Week 10 but Harbaugh refused to commit to Samuel even returning during the 2024 season.
The defense has been great for the Chargers but it can only do so much given the circumstances. Rookies Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still have risen to the occasion, but the team has only played one league-average-or-better offense in the Kansas City Chiefs, who do not pack the same punch.
As much as the Chargers need a receiver, if the team is going to make a run in the postseason then it will be because of Jesse Minter's defense. With that in mind, the Chargers might as well lean into their strength as a team and bolster that unit amid the injury concerns.
Thankfully, like receivers, cornerbacks can typically be traded for at the deadline without much of an issue, especially when there are 10 teams in the NFL who have two or fewer wins. The Chargers should be keeping an eye on those teams, and call those who lose in Week 9 to see who is on the market.