Chargers perfect 2025 NFL Draft trade

First, the target. Golden’s 4.29 time in the 40 during the combine should have the Chargers’ attention. He would be great in a pairing with Ladd McConkey, especially because of his versatility. He gets high marks overall, according to nfl.com.

“Golden works all three levels of the field with similar consistency and productivity,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “His route-running needs refinement, but he does a decent job of altering tempo and separating at break points. Golden has the ability to play all three receiver spots. He also has the agility and body control to turn near-misses into highlight catches. Golden’s starting-level traits and big leap forward as a go-to playmaker have him primed to become a productive catch-maker with the potential to develop into a WR1 in the future.

Golden improved in terms of contested catches in 2024, and his route running is top notch, according to nytimes.com.

“Fluid in and out of his breaks, Golden shows a plan as a route runner,” Dane Brugler wrote. “I love his ability to break down corners by keeping his eyes, hips, and feet in sync. That coordination also translates to the catch point with his very natural ball skills to track, frame, and finish. Overall, it might bother some teams that he doesn’t have better size, but Golden also doesn’t have any glaring flaws to his game that would keep him from becoming a productive pro. He can play inside or outside and become the go-to target for an NFL offense.”

So with the player target in focus …

What needs to be traded to secure Matthew Golden?

The draft is always unpredictable. Some mocks have Golden being available when the Chargers take their turn. Others have him going at No. 10 to the Bears, or No. 14 to the Colts.

Probably the best strategy would be for the Chargers to wait and see if Golden clears the Bears at No. 10 because they probably don’t have the draft capital to make that kind of a jump. They could also hold out and hope the Colts don’t grab him.

Then the Chargers could make their deal with the Bengals. They could offer to swap first-round picks, five spots, and give the Bengals pick No. 55. This would give Cincinnati a pair of second-round picks.

To complete the trade, the Chargers would get the Bengals’ third-round pick at No. 81 while Cincinnati would balance the scales with pick No. 125 in the fourth round.

It’s a high-stakes trade, but the Chargers need a dynamic player to run alongside McCaffrey. Quentin Johnston hasn’t panned out, catching only 55 balls for 711 yards in 2024. His eight touchdowns stood out, but there’s likely a regression coming in that category for the former first-round pick. However, if he’s the No. 3 option behind McConkey and Golden, he might still make quite a few big plays over the course of the season.

Why should Chargers be aggressive?

Another reason the Chargers should make this deal is that they want to make a Super Bowl run in 2025. They have enough talent to be in the mix. And getting a premier playmaker could make plenty of difference.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh said there’s one goal, according to chargers.com.

“Bottom line, you’re after that ultimate success and that’s winning the Super Bowl, the World Championship,” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh has a history of valuing wide receivers, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell.

“Does Jim Harbaugh value receivers?” Barnwell wrote. “More than you might think. His 49ers teams from 2011 to 2014 weren’t exactly throwing the ball around like they were the Chiefs, but he kept around Michael Crabtree, who was a valuable big body for quarterbacks Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick in the passing game. He signed a 35-year-old Randy Moss after the legendary wideout had spent a year out of football. If a receiver is physical and can make a difference, Harbaugh might think he can be a valuable part of his offense.”

This draft has the look of a team making a big difference by moving up. Not into the top spots, but in the middle of the first round.