The LA Chargers need to add wide receiver help this offseason and have several options to do so. There are several big names either in free agency or on the trade market the Chargers can pursue this spring.
Some options are naturally better than others and the Chargers need to prioritize who they go after. Based on factors such as performance, age, contract, and fit, here are the seven star receivers who may be on the move ranked in order for the Bolts.
Ranking the 7 star wide receivers the Chargers could add this offseason:
1. Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins is the real deal and just because he has played behind Ja'Marr Chase does not mean fans should discount what he would bring to the table. Higgins has a legitimate WR1 skillset and would give the Chargers a truly elite pass-catcher to add to Justin Herbert's offense.
Higgins is potentially going to reset the wide receiver market and the Chargers have the resources to make it happen. The Chargers also represent a better contending situation than other teams with cap space, which may swing Higgins to LA.
2. DK Metcalf
It would be shocking if DK Metcalf wasn't traded by the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. The Seahawks need to create space to become cap compliant and Metcalf is due for an extension this offseason. With Seattle needing to save money, and wanting to avoid a drawn-out situation, trading Metcalf may be the best move.
And the Chargers would be the best fit for the star wideout. Metcalf is a true offensive game-changer and would fit perfectly as an elite outside option to go with Ladd McConkey. The only thing that keeps him from No. 1 on this list is the fact the Chargers would have to trade draft capital, whereas that is not the case with Higgins.
3. Keenan Allen
Keenan Allen is not the third-most talented receiver on this list but this is not a ranking of pure talent. Allen is undoubtedly going to be the cheapest of any receiver on this list and has a familiarity with Justin Herbert that cannot be replicated with someone else's EPA per play.
Allen had a down year with the Chicago Bears but he also was in a dysfunctional offensive system and played with the quarterback who led the entire league in "bad throws". In a better situation with a better quarterback, Allen could revert back closer to his 2023 form.
Most of all, Allen is a trusted weapon for Herbert who will open up the passing offense, especially on third down and in the redzone. Ladd McConkey may have emerged into that role in his rookie season but having two such weapons is better than one. Even if he is a step slower, Allen would undoubtedly help the Chargers improve their 18th-ranked redzone offense and 13th-ranked third-down offense.
And best of all, he would do so for cheap.
4. Davante Adams
Davante Adams and Keenan Allen are so close in terms of fit. Adams was undoubtedly the better player in 2024 but he also benefitted more from his situation with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball. With both receivers 32 years old, they have the same regression risk when it comes to age.
Allen gets the nod ahead of Adams because of his price. Even if he is cut (which is the most likely outcome), Adams would probably demand a contract that is more expensive than Allen's. Allen at two years, $24 million should be more enticing than Adams at three years for $40 million. Either would be a welcome addition, though.
5. Chris Godwin
Chris Godwin may be the receiver who many Chargers fans disagree with me the most on. Godwin is still on the right side of 30 and has been productive at a top level for many years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The risk with Godwin is the fact he is coming off a season in which he played just seven games due to an IR stint. This is not the first significant injury Godwin has suffered as he tore his ACL back in 2021.
Godwin may be on the right side of 30 but he has a lot of mileage on his legs as he came into the year at 21 years old. In a perfect world, Godwin would be a great addition, but the injury concerns and the potential worry about how he may look towards the end of an expensive contract may keep the Chargers away.
6. Cooper Kupp
Cooper Kupp has not had a truly great season since 2021 as he has missed time with injuries every year since. There is a reason why the Rams want to trade Kupp this offseason even though the team is in a healthy salary-cap situation and the Chargers do not need to learn that lesson firsthand.
If Kupp was a cheap flier like Allen it would be one thing. That is not the case, however, as the Chargers would have to trade draft capital and pay Kupp's current salary for the next two seasons. That kind of investment is not worth it for someone who may be guaranteed to miss six-plus gams every year.
7. Deebo Samuel
The San Francisco 49ers gave Deebo Samuel permission to seek out a trade and the Chargers should respectfully decline. As impactful as Samuel has been for the 49ers, he partly is a product of the Kyle Shanahan system and would not be as valuable in LA as he was in the Bay.
Samuel's contract is manageable and the trade cost might not be very expensive so the Chargers may talk themselves into the swing if they are worried about the older wideouts on this list. But with all the potential risk, Samuel really should be the last-ditch option.