Chargers' predicted trade for Justin Herbert's dream receiver must be offered

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has done an exceptional job in over a year on the job rebuilding this team, but does he have one great negotiating move to land one of the NFL's best receivers?

Hortiz is not afraid of making a deal, but has only made one trade this offseason, and that was with the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 NFL Draft to move up in the fifth round to pick tight end Oronde Gadsden II. Last year, excluding the draft, the Chargers traded wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick and picked up defensive back Elijah Molden and quarterback Taylor Heinicke in separate trades before the 2024 campaign started.

The Chargers haven't had that home run trade that would generate a positive change within the roster. Hortiz has a chance to do that with a disgruntled wide receiver potentially being available in a trade.

The offer Hortiz should make to land Justin Herbert's new best friend

Bleacher Report writer Kristopher Knox shared six trade packages the Washington Commanders could not pass up on for wide receiver Terry McLaurin after a report came out that McLaurin was unhappy with a lack of traction on his new deal. Hortiz could pull off a trade proposal that the Commanders would have to take.

Chargers Get: WR Terry McLaurin, 2026 3rd-round pick

Commanders Get: 2026 2nd-round pick, 2026 4th-round pick, WR Quentin Johnston

"The Los Angeles Chargers are a more obvious trade candidate for a receiver. While L.A. did bring back Mike Williams and use a second-round pick on Tre Harris, receiver depth was one of the team's biggest issues in 2024.

Ladd McConkey was great as a rookie, but 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnson has yet to become a dependable target for Justin Herbert. Josh Palmer finished third on the team with 584 receiving yards but is now a member of the Buffalo Bills.

Williams missed most of 2023 with a torn ACL and had just 298 yards with the Steelers and New York Jets last season.

McLaurin would walk into L.A. as Herbert's top perimeter target and would instantly elevate the passing game. For a team looking to leapfrog the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West and make a deep postseason push, that would be huge.

And like the Cardinals ($40.9 million), the Chargers should have the cap space ($27.9 million) needed to work out a long-term extension with McLaurin.

Los Angeles could send Johnston to Washington in the deal. While the TCU product hasn't played up to his draft status yet (1,142 yards in two seasons), he has intriguing upside, is only 23 years old and is starting to adapt to the NFL game.

With up to three years left on Johnston's rookie contract—including the fifth-year option—he could be valuable enough for Washington to justify a Day-2 pick swap instead of an outright second-rounder."

McLaurin was the Commanders' third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, as he finished his first year with 919 yards and seven touchdowns. Since then? He's had five consecutive seasons of 1,000-yard years, been selected to two Pro Bowls, and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2024.

It's a hefty price to pay for a 29-year-old wide receiver, but McLaurin is in the prime of his career and the Chargers need a reliable second wide receiver. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert needs stability and trust at wide receiver which has not been the case over the last five years.

McConkey has a promising future in the NFL after his 1,000-yard rookie season last year. Outside of McConkey, there are a lot of what-ifs with Johnston, Williams, and Harris.

McLaurin is a playmaker who can add another deep threat for Herbert to throw to. Losing a second and fourth-round pick would hurt, but McLaurin would make more contributions to the team than whoever they would pick.

This is one of those trades that could set the Chargers up with success over the next five years and make Herbert happy. Commanders would get picks and an emerging Johnston while the Chargers get their reliable receiver. A win-win for both sides.