The NFL's legal tampering window officially opened on Monday and it has taken very little time for moves to be announced throughout the league. With the Chargers still over next year's salary cap, the Bolts have made no moves (at the time of writing this).
Even after the Chargers create cap space they are not projected to be very active on the free-agent market. Los Angeles will create enough space to pay the incoming draft class and a handful of cheap free agents. That is about as much as the Bolts can hope to do this offseason.
That being said, the Chargers can still benefit from the moves that are being made in free agency. In particular, the Chargers can benefit from what was the most expensive move of the day on Monday: Kirk Cousins signing a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons.
Kirk Cousins.
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) March 11, 2024
This is from the source. And The Force. pic.twitter.com/FmQCPNGThW
Vikings trading up with the Chargers in the 2024 NFL Draft is now more likely
The Minnesota Vikings are now in need of a starting quarterback with that quarterback likely coming in the 2024 NFL Draft. Minnesota does not seem keen on staying put at the 11th overall pick, though, as there has already been speculation about the team trading up.
The Chargers are in the perfect draft slot to benefit from this. The first four teams are unlikely to trade down in the draft, and even a team like the Arizona Cardinals does trade down, it will allow Marvin Harrison Jr. to fall to the fifth pick. But with that being an unlikely route, the Chargers trading down from five becomes much more intriguing.
The Vikings are going to want to leapfrog a team like the New York Giants, who could absolutely take a QB with the sixth overall pick if the right guy falls. Minnesota also might be in competition with the Las Vegas Raiders, who have the 13th overall pick and also need a franchise quarterback.
A bidding war could ensue, allowing the Chargers to milk the maximum value for the fifth overall pick. With there being a quarterback tax, the Chargers could absolutely leverage themselves to get a top-100 pick from either the Vikings or Raiders as well as a first-round pick in next year's draft.
And if things really fall the Chargers way then the team could still draft a prominent prospect with the 11th pick. Brock Bowers could absolutely fall to the 11th pick, and if so, the Chargers would be getting more draft capital for drafting someone who was in play at the fifth pick anyway.
But if none of this happens, and the Arizona Cardinals wind up trading the fourth overall pick, then the Chargers will get the best wide receiver prospect that has come out of the draft in years. It truly is a win-win for the Bolts.