Ranking the Chargers Players Most Likely to be Traded Before the Deadline

The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-6 and trying to find answers during their bye week. They entered week six for showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs with a dramatically different group of starters on offense in comparison to week one due to an avalanche of injuries.

The reality of an 0-6 start has started to become publicly evident. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has ditched his typical non-answers at press conferences and has opted to use the "we're looking at everything" response to avoid completely running over some of his coaches with the proverbial bus.

The Chargers front office has yet to publicy acknowledge where the team is currently at but over this bye week and before the trade deadline of November 10th general manager Joe Hortiz will undoubtedly be fielding calls from across the NFL inquiring on potential trades for Chargers players.

NFL insider Tom Pelissero wrote about the Chargers potential trade targets on his Substack before their week six loss. Alongside Mack, on defense he named Bud Dupree, Daiyan Henley, Donte Jackson, Denzel Perryman, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Tuli Tuipulotu as all potential trade candidates. On offense, he listed Keaton Mitchell, Kimani Vidal, and Quentin Johnston as potential players teams may inquire about.

Note that Pelissero did not include franchise quarterback Justin Herbert. That is because trading Justin Hebert for starters would financially be a disaster for the franchise and more importantly, it would be an absolutely insane idea. Justin Herbert is not going anywhere and a Herschel Walker trade offer mid-season would not change that.

1) Khalil Mack, edge rusher

Khalil Mack is the most obvious and most likely Chargers player to be traded by the trade deadline, if he chooses. Mack is a future Hall of Famer and his loyalty to the organization has earned him the right to make that decision in what could be the final year of his NFL career.

Mack is still playing at a high level and could net the Chargers an early day three pick. He in unlikely to net a Day 2 pick for such a short-term rental despite some current media reports stating otherwise.

The Chargers already have two starting-caliber edge rushers on the roster with Tuli Tuipulotu and rookie Akheem Mesidor. They also have Bud Dupree and Caleb Murphy on the active roster and Andre Carter II on the practice squad. They wouldn't have the deepest edge rusher room without Mack but have the bodies to manage the move.

2) Donte Jackson, cornerback

Cornerbacks are always in high demand around the NFL given the nature of modern NFL offenses and injury rates. Donte Jackson has dealt with a handful of minor injuries this season but is still a well rounded zone cornerback with veteran savvy. The only reason the Chargers would reject offers for him, since he is on an expiring contract, is simply they do not have enough depth to replace him.

Jackson is on the wrong side of 30 but is still playing at a level that contenders would value if they needed a veteran capable of stepping in and starting. He would likely net the Chargers a late day three pick as compensation.

The Chargers cornerback room was thin to start the season and have already dipped into the practice squad for help and have signed several cornerbacks to the practice squad throughout the season for depth.

3) Keaton Mitchell, running back

Keaton Mitchell was one of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's top free agent requests when he came to Los Angeles. The offense has been a mess but Mitchell has been relatively productive when included in the game plan. With the season lost and Mitchell's cap number nearly doubling from just over $3.1 million to just over $6.1 million in 2027, the Chargers may move on from him if a needy team inquires.

The Chargers likely would have to pick between Kimani Vidal and Mitchell. Vidal will be a restricted free agent next offseason and the Chargers could simply choose to prepare to extend or match any offer he receives. Mitchell would likely net the Chargers a mid-late Day 3 pick or could be included in a pick swap.

Los Angeles already has a replacement for Mitchell on the practice squad in Greg Desrosiers Jr. Desrosiers has a very similar skillset and finished off the preseason with a massive performance. Like Mitchell, he can return kicks and is a threat in the passing game.

4) Quentin Johnston, wide receiver

Wide receivers are the most likely position group to be moved at the trade deadline. Quentin Johnston has not done much this season but neither has the entirety of the Chargers offense. Johnston had put together back to back ascending seasons in 2024 and 2025 and the former first round receiver seemed to finally be finding his footing as an NFL receiver.

If anyone might benefit from a change in scenery, it would be Johnston. His first-round pedigree will always carry some weight, right or wrong, and he is under contract through 2027. A contender looking for help down the stretch could find the right fit for him and he could net the Chargers an earlier to mid Day 3 pick.

One of the few reasons the Chargers would not entertain offers for Johnston would be that the rest of the wide receiver room have been unable to stay on the field. The Chargers do have a pair of young receivers in Keandre Lambert-Smith and Theo Wease Jr., both of whom could pick up the slack if he were moved as the Chargers may look to the future to see who they will keep around.

Conclusion

The Chargers are likely to move at least one player before the trade deadline. They have massive organizational questions to answer and roster construction issues to reconcile. This is a new situation for the organization. Since the expansion to the seven team playoff, mid-season trades have been occuring at an increased rate. Los Angeles could benefit from extra picks in 2027 and giving young players opportunities to play.