We've all been there. A friendly poker game at home with some friends and you accidentally flip over the flush you hit on the river before the player to your left called your all-in. That's what the Tennessee Titans just did to the LA Chargers, although they may have the exact opposite of a rivered flush.
The Titans will sell at the NFL trade deadline and they just made that abundantly clear to the entire league. Tennessee shipped cornerback Roger McCreary to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2026 conditional fifth-round pick on Monday.
This couldn't have come at a better time for the Chargers, who already have several former Titans on the roster and could use some more. The NFL trade deadline is next Tuesday, and on Sunday, the Chargers will get an up-close look at some potential trade targets.
Titans announce themselves as trade deadline ahead of Chargers matchup
I mean, we all knew they were going to be trade deadline sellers, right? It would be organizational malpractice not to extract as much future value out of this roster as possible.
But then again, it is the Titans we are talking about. They are great at organizational malpractice. Just look at who their interim head coach is (spoiler alert: it's Mike McCoy).
Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has clearly taken a liking to former Titans players in his one-plus year in his role. It started with signing former Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton, who is no longer on the team, last offseason. It then blossomed into several other additions, including prominent defensive forces Teair Tart and Elijah Molden.
The Titans may only have one win on the season but there is talent to tap into on that roster. Whether or not the Chargers take a swing depends on Tennessee's asking price, and how aggressive the Bolts truly want to be.
Titans players who could be Chargers trade targets:
RB Tony Pollard
The biggest name the Chargers could go after is Tony Pollard. Two months ago this would be an absurd statement, but with two prominent running back injuries, this is in the realm of possibility.
That being said, trading for Pollard is still relatively unlikely. Pollard is a bigger name who is under contract for one more season and the asking price would reflect that. While the Chargers could make his salary work on the cap, it might be too big of an ask to trade mid-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft when the team currently only has five selections.
Plus, Omarion Hampton will eventually return and Kimani Vidal has held his own in the meantime.
G Kevin Zeitler
Another big name, Kevin Zeitler is someone who Chargers fans wanted the team to sign this past offseason. Zeitler ultimately signed a one-year, $9 million contract with the Titans. The Chargers may have missed out then, but they could bolster the offensive line now.
This only really makes sense if the Chargers are worried about Mekhi Becton's health holding up. While he has struggled this season, the team won't trade for another right guard to start in place of him because of the money they have committed to the former Eagles guard.
That being said, if the Chargers really wanted to be creative they could start Zeitler and Becton at guard and move Zion Johnson to center, which is something they experimented with in the preseason. However, those results weren't great and Johnson is in a bit of a groove right now at left guard.
But then again, anything is better than Bradley Bozeman...
S Quandre Diggs
A month ago, the Chargers were extremely deep at the safety position. Since then, the team traded Alohi Gilman and the room has been hit with injuries. Derwin James may miss multiple weeks with a high-ankle sprain, Tony Jefferson hurt his hamstring, and Elijah Molden broke his finger (although he played through it).
Quandre Diggs would at least help remedy some of those issues. The former Pro Bowler has definitely fallen off since his peak but the Chargers could bet on his potential simply because of his track record.
Diggs hasn't been awful this season, although he has been mediocre in a rotational role. Mediocre might be all the Chargers need right now, especially considering the cost would be a future seventh-round pick at most.