LA Chargers: Ranking the 5 most important positions to trade for before the deadline

3. Edge Rusher

Now, we are starting to get into the positions that could truly benefit from a trade.

It is no secret that the Los Angeles Chargers really only have one edge rusher that provides any fear for offenses: Joey Bosa.

The plan coming into 2021 opposite of Bosa was to rely on the duo of Uchenna Nwosu and Kyler Fackrell, along with some interior rush from Justin Jones and Jerry Tillery, to give the Chargers a complete rushing force.

While Nwosu and Fackrell have played fine, expectations from the fans (and perhaps the coaching staff as well) for breakout seasons from Nwosu, Tillery, and Jones were a little unrealistic.

Due in large part to the middling rush from these players, the Chargers have struggled to consistently get rushing help for Joey Bosa, who has once again been forced to play superman along the defensive line.

While it is a bit difficult to get an edge rusher at this point in the season that could help the team, one familiar name sticks out: Melvin Ingram.

Ingram has come out looking like his old self for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he is now seeking a trade due to his status in a contract year with little playing time. A reunion with the Chargers for a moderate price could make sense.

However, would it really be realistic for Ingram to step in and significantly out-produce Fackrell and Nwosu?

While I would expect better production from Ingram than Nwosu and Fackrell, I would not expect it to be worth the trade. One of the most significant problems with the pass rush has been that the Chargers have failed to give their defensive line third and longs, which are the true pass-rushing snaps.

For that reason, it may help the pass rush more to get a run-stuffer than another pass rusher. This leads us to the two most important positions to target in a potential trade.