2 sneaky Chargers trade candidates entering 2025 training camp

The 17th overall pick of the 2022 draft, the guard hasn’t lived up to his billing. He has started 49 games over three years, but his performances haven’t matched that status.

Last year, Johnson graded out at 65.7 overall, according to Pro Football Focus. That ranked No. 47 among 136 guards. He committed four penalties and allowed five sacks, a troublesome number that put him 117 in the league.

The Chargers are giving Johnson a look at the center position. That’s because Mekhi Becton and Bradley Bozeman have pushed Johnson from the starting ranks at guard.

The good news for the Chargers is they have a stud at the right tackle position, according to chargers.com.

“I think he’s on track for a Hall of Fame type of career,” Harbaugh said on the Chargers Weekly podcast with Matt “Money” Smith and Chris Hayre. “I do not feel like I’m going out on a ledge by saying that.

“As good as he was last year, I’d call him right now one of our most ascending players on the team. He’s that much better. That much improved. “He is so strong now. Ascending as much as any player on our team is Joe Alt going into Year 2.”

As for Johnson, Harbaugh said he likes what he has seen from the three-year veteran. He said Johnson’s ability to move to a new spot bodes well for the team.

“The versatility that we now have,” Harbaugh said. “Maybe the combination is going to be better with Zion at center and Boze at guard, but if it’s not, we know we have a great combination with Boze at center and Zion at guard. We feel like we’re in a really good place.”

But if Johnson can’t cut it at center, the Chargers might look to move him to a guard-hungry team. Perhaps they could get a starting center in return.

Chargers could trade Trey Pipkins III

Another lineman in the potential trade mix is Pipkins at right tackle. There’s no playing time available at the position with Alt standing firm. So, Pipkins might be available to go elsewhere.

He graded out at 57.8 overall as a guard last season, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s No. 86 out of 136. But Pipkins has been moved to tackle.

Harbaugh said Pipkins is among those players who have looked good this summer. Pipkins is part of a good depth mix.

“The exciting thing is (there are) guys really close to that starting five that will continue to keep having at it and will have a lot of time to show maybe that they could,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t see them displacing any of those five right now.

“Andre James has been a great addition. And Trey Pipkins, who started for us at guard last year, everybody healthy, projecting (to) be the swing tackle, Trey. Tremendous value, we have a starting caliber offensive lineman who is our swing tackle is our plan right now. That would be a healthy game in, game out, we know we have a swing tackle that if something happens to our two All-Pros, we’ve got a great player in Trey Pipkins.”

That’s far enough down the depth chart for Pipkins to be in the trade conversation if the right deal came along.

The Chargers figure to be a major player in the AFC playoff picture in 2025. They need to secure a sign of strength for all positions on their team if they are going to find a way to get past Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The right kind of trade, even a small one, could be a turning point that catapults the Chargers in front of the dominant Chiefs. Of course, depth has to be treated tenderly as well. Injuries often wreck NFL plans. So the Chargers must move forward cautiously.