LA Chargers tight end Will Dissly (89) celebrates a touchdown against Detroit Lions with quarterback Trey Lance (5). Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chargers could be developing the perfect QB trade candidate

Originally posted on Los Angeles Chargers on SI
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers are pretty set at quarterback with Justin Herbert. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Herbert will be the Chargers' signal-caller moving forward. And let's be honest: he has a massive contract to his name, so Los Angeles has already committed to him.

That's what makes the Chargers' offseason addition of Trey Lance that much more interesting. A former No. 3 overall pick, Lance has not exactly panned out on the NFL level and is now on his third different team since being drafted in 2022. But perhaps Los Angeles is developing the perfect trade candidate here?

Jim Harbaugh is outstanding for quarterbacks. He is a former NFL quarterback himself, so it makes sense that he is pretty adept at grooming them. Lance certainly looked solid in the Bolts' preseason opener, going 13-for-20 with 120 yards and a couple of touchdowns, flashing the type of potential many saw out of him at North Dakota State.

But here's the thing: unless there is an injury to Herbert, Lance is never going to start for the Chargers. He won't be supplanting Herbert. He could be a fine backup, yes, but at just 25 years old, will there be any NFL teams willing to take a chance on him as a starter at some point?

The answer is almost certainly yes.

The Chargers could ultimately trade Trey Lance

Lance hits free agency next offseason, but Los Angeles may wish to keep him around if it likes what it sees from the Marshall, Mn. native throughout the upcoming campaign. And it may really want to keep him as potential trade bait.

We know how this league works by now. Teams get desperate for quarterbacks, and some quarterbacks are late bloomers. Heck, just ask Chargers fans about Drew Brees. Maybe Lance can follow a similar path, but it surely won't be in LA. At least not with this LA squad (funny enough, the Los Angeles Rams could use a Matthew Stafford successor).

Lance has not shown a ton thus far in his brief professional tenure, but that could all change with the right coaching and development, and Harbaugh could be the man for the job.

The Chargers are definitely an organization that relies on the NFL draft rather than spending big bucks in free agency, so being able to flip Lance for more draft capital would be significant.

Don't be surprised if Los Angeles is already planning to do this in the not-too-distant future.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Chargers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: