2 Reasons Chargers Will Trade Down During NFL Draft

The Chargers only have five selections in the draft this month. 

For a team that has made a habit of finding late-round gems like Tarheeb Still, Kimani Vidal and RJ Mickens, to name a few, that’s just not nearly enough picks to take an acceptable number of shots on prospects. 

Alas, the Chargers coughed up a fifth-round pick when they went and got Odafe Oweh from Baltimore in the middle of the season. A huge win, no doubt, before they let him get away in free agency. But recouping that draft pick value somehow might be ideal. 

The Chargers also threw a seventh-round pick away in August of 2024 when acquiring Elijah Molden. Again, another great trade, considering the starter Molden has become, earning himself an extension in the process. 

Even a small move back could net one or two picks that help the Chargers recoup some of this value they gave away in the past. 

NFL draft value for Chargers

Here’s the other big trade-down justification for the Chargers: It’s all about the value. 

If the Chargers drop out of the first round entirely, it will be because of their draft board. There’s an outside chance that the way they grade the players they could draft at No. 22 won’t be all that different from the player they could get at a No. 33 or No. 34 spot early in the second round. 

If nothing else, the Chargers have at least considered this in each of the last few seasons, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper: 

“If the Chargers can add an additional third-round pick in a trade down, they could address all of these needs on the first two days of the draft. Hortiz has been interested in trading down in each of his first two drafts. He had offers to trade back from No. 5 overall in his first draft, but ultimately selected an elite player in tackle Joe Alt. The Chargers were close to trading down from No. 22 in last year’s draft, but that deal fell through at the last minute. The Chargers also had consensus and conviction in drafting Hampton, a pick that looks like another hit.”

The Chargers adding another third-round pick, which would likely mean another top-100 pick joining the roster, could be just enticing enough for Hortiz and Co., especially if the draft grades aren’t all that different in the middle of the pack. 

Granted, it takes two teams to do a deal. The Chargers probably need a little quarterback desperation from another club to make this happen. But it certainly feels more likely than last year.