Chargers could shake up WR room in head coach Jim Harbaugh's first season
It hasn’t taken Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh long to begin shaking up the team’s roster.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported over the weekend that the Chargers are open to trade offers for edge-rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, and SI.com’s Albert Brewer added that the same is true for both starting receivers, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
Los Angeles is more than $20 million over the salary cap, and trading one of Mack ($23.3M), Bosa ($14.38M), Allen ($23M) or Williams ($20M) would allow them to get close to the cap floor. Trading multiple players would clear the necessary cap space for the team to be active in free agency.
It’s expected that 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston (38 receptions, 431 yards, two touchdowns) and last year’s second-leading receiver Joshua Palmer (38 receptions, 581 yards, two touchdowns) will have larger roles in Harbaugh’s offense.
The Chargers, who have the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 draft, have also been linked to both LSU receiver Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze, and it appears they’re leaning toward drafting a wide receiver in April.
Despite being without Williams for much of last season, the Chargers receiving core ranked in the top 10 in both receptions (409, sixth) and receiving yards per game (253.6, ninth) but was just 16th in touchdowns (24).
Williams, 29, missed the final 14 games of 2023 with a torn ACL. He posted two 1,000-yard seasons and two seasons of 60 or more receptions in his previous six years. Given the uncertainty around his injury status, his trade value would likely be lower than Allen’s.
Allen, 31, had the second-best season of his career in 2023, catching 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s totaled 100 or more receptions and 1,000 or more yards in five of his last seven seasons. He would likely fetch a higher return, possibly a Day 2 pick or more.
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