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Chargers riding high with rookie while rival Broncos suffer wicked buyer's remorse

Originally posted on Los Angeles Chargers on SI
By Chris Roling | Last updated Oct 28, 2025 8:35 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers hit proverbial gold with rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden.

Gadsden has morphed into a favorite target of Justin Herbert in a matter of games. Over his last two games, he’s put up 240 yards and two scores.

The same enthusiasm certainly isn’t making waves elsewhere in the AFC West from Denver, where the Broncos faced similar needs this offseason and grabbed free agent Evan Engram.

Chargers fans and the team itself has come a long way from considering Engram in free agency and signing Tyler Conklin.

Engram picked the Broncos over the Chargers during the open market and the rest is history.

The disparity in how two rivals with similar needs addressed them and the ensuing fallout could be one of the things that decides the AFC West outright this year.

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Chargers won when Evan Engram picked Broncos in free agency

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The Chargers didn't get much from Conklin, who has fallen into “bust’ status in a hurry. But the Broncos can say the same about Engram, who has caught just 26 passes for 215 yards with one score through seven games.

Just this week, the Broncos put in wavier wire claims on Brendan Bates and Ben Sims while seeking a way to fix the position, yet missed on both.

No such problem for the Chargers. There will be ebbs and flows, but longtime Chargers fans seeing flashes of a young Antonio Gates over the last few weeks with Gadsden aren’t exactly exaggerating.

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

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