Chargers Entertaining Seller Trades

With hours left before the trade deadline, the Chargers are willing to take what they can get — on certain assets. The team has become receptive to selling pieces over the past day, veteran insider Jordan Schultz tweets. Though, Khalil Mack is still considered a “long shot” to be dealt.

Mack, 35, would be a solid trade chip — and a deal would presumably move the potential Hall of Famer to a contender. It would be strange if the Chargers, who have received interest on the former Defensive Player of the Year, did not move on at the deadline. But it will be interesting to see if other potential trade chips — Quentin Johnston and Donte Jackson among them — will be moved by the 3pm CT deadline.

Schultz specifies contract-year players will be the focus here. That would exclude Johnston, who is due a fully guaranteed $18MM in 2027 after L.A. exercised his fifth-year option. Jackson joins Mack on an expiring contract. Tuli Tuipulotu does as well, but it would be borderline shocking — especially given how the Bolts have proceeded on this front this season — if the young edge rusher was dealt today. D-tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, who is on a one-year deal, has also come up in trade rumors.

Mack is on a one-year, $18MM deal for a second straight season. The decorated edge rusher is on an $8MM base salary, which would make an acquiring team responsible for around $4MM. That would be manageable for a player of Mack’s ability, even as he approaches the end of his career. If the Chargers do not trade Mack, he will be stuck on one of the NFL’s worst teams as the prospect of a 2027 No. 1 overall pick has entered the equation.

Jackson, 31, profiles as aging cornerback help; an acquiring team would owe around $3MM in salary. The veteran has 110 career starts (four this season) and does not look to have a Chargers future beyond 2026. The former Panthers and Steelers starter came up in trade rumors recently. Tomlinson could be a cheap consolation prize for teams that missed out on the higher-end D-tackle assets traded over the past several days. Tomlinson, 32, is owed less than $1.5MM for the season’s remainder.