ESPN proposes two genius trades for the Chargers before the deadline
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers are coming off of the most aggressive offseason in recent franchise history and thus far the team has a 3-2 record to show for it. While that might seem disappointing, the Bolts have fought through a ton of adversity and having a winning record at this point should be seen as a positive thing.
Tom Telesco and the front office should know that they have an open title window with Justin Herbert being the quarterback and as a result, that aggressiveness should carry over into the trade deadline. The Chargers should not be careless, but they can make savvy moves to improve the team.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently broke down 15 potential trades that NFL teams could make before the trade deadline and the Chargers were included in two such trades. Instead of gaining players, though, the Chargers would actually be trading players away in these theorized trade packages.
And while that might not seem like what the team should be doing at this point, it would be quite genius if Tom Telesco was able to pull off something similar to these trades that Barnwell is pitching.
Breaking down the two genius trade ideas for the Chargers:
1. Trading Sony Michel to the LA Rams for a seventh-round pick
The LA Rams have been struggling on offense and need a spark to help them regain their form from last season. Sony Michel was part of that Super Bowl-winning offense and perhaps he could be a valuable piece to spark the run game for Sean McVay.
Barnwell pitches a trade that sees Michel go to the Rams while the Chargers would get a seventh-round pick in return. While that is not a huge return, that would be a great move for the Chargers to make considering the circumstances.
Michel very obviously has not been the answer for the Bolts and the team has finally seemed to realize that Joshua Kelley is the rightful RB2. With rookie Isaiah Spiller still waiting in the wings, trading Michel is something the team could easily afford to do. He probably should not be playing on the Chargers anyway. Getting an asset for him would be fantastic.
2. Trading Michael Davis to the Vikings for a sixth-round pick and cheaper corner
The other Chargers trade that Barnwell theorizes the team could make would see MIchael Davis get traded to Minnesota for a sixth-round pick and young corner Kris Boyd. Boyd is a non-factor in this trade and the Bolts should be willing to do this with or without him.
The logic for this trade is simple. Davis really isn't playing much with the addition of J.C. Jackson and seems out of place in Brandon Staley's defense altogether. However, he has shown enough potential in the past that another team might be willing to buy into him.
Trading Davis would give the Chargers salary-cap relief in the future as the team would not have to deal with the dead cap of cutting him next offseason, which seems like the most likely course of action.
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If the Chargers can get both a sixth-round pick and salary-cap relief for someone that they may not want on the team long-term then that is a no-brainer for Telesco and co.