With a decent amount of cap space set for the 2025 offseason, many expect the LA Chargers to bolster their offense.
While the interior offensive line may be the biggest question mark, offensive skill players will be another key storyline of LA's offseason. Wide receiver Josh Palmer is set to be a free agent while the team's only key targets under contract are Will Dissly, Quentin Johnston, and Ladd McConkey.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has a potential idea for where at least one of the star offensive names could come from this offseason. The NFL insider pegged Seattle Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf as a possible trade to the Chargers this coming offseason.
Jeremy Fowler links Seahawks' DK Metcalf to Chargers
Metcalf needs a new contract following the 2025 campaign. He has no guaranteed salary left on his current deal and would be a free agent following next season. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba becoming a bigger fixture of Seattle's offense, Fowler notes that Metcalf's targets dropped last year.
An anonymous NFL coordinator gave Fowler this quote on a potential Metcalf connection with QB Justin Herbert:
"The Seahawks can still get good value for him, and he could pair with Ladd McConkey for a good inside-out tandem. [Justin] Herbert to Metcalf would be scary. I think [Los Angeles] will be looking to help the quarterback in a big way."
A potential connection not mentioned explicitly in Fowler's piece could be LA's wide receiver coach. Chargers WRs coach Sanjay Lal was on Seattle's staff for three seasons. In each season Lal was on board, Metcalf broke 1000 yards receiving. In those three years combined, Metcalf scored 24 touchdowns.
It's hard to say whether the Joe Hortiz-Jim Harbaugh regime would be willing to give out a big contract to a wideout in a trade. There's not enough of a sample size to suggest that it would definitively be their M.O. to do so. Still, the team does need to find ways to upgrade their wide receiver talent.
With the current limitations of the wide receiver room on display in the playoff loss to Houston, hopefully, Los Angeles is able to "help the quarterback in a big way" in 2025. Metcalf in LA on a rental or contract extension would certainly be the first step in getting Herbert that help.