Chargers' polarizing WR emerges as realistic trade target despite $18M problem originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Chargers are currently 0-5. Their 2026 season is going horribly wrong. Justin Herbert looks like a shell of his former self, there are countless injuries to the offense, and Mike McDaniel's offense looks horrific so far.
With a Week 6 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs before a Week 7 bye, it would not be a surprise if the Chargers were 0-6 by the start of Week 8. With the trade deadline a few weeks after that, a major sell-off is very possible for the Chargers.
A lot of the focus is going to be on Khalil Mack, and for good reason, but ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler revealed that wide receiver Quentin Johnston could emerge as a trade candidate this Fall, even with his polarizing play and $18 million contract making for real hurdles to clear for a trade.
Quentin Johnston emerges as trade candidate for Chargers
"What about Quentin Johnston? The Chargers' wideout has come up in a few of my recent conversations," Fowler writes. "The Bolts were firm in the offseason that they wouldn't deal him, but now that Los Angeles is sitting at 0-5, perhaps the timing is right."
With the Chargers in a bad spot this season, selling and retooling, or even entering a legitimate rebuild for a year, would make a lot of sense.
Trading Johnston would certainly make sense for the Chargers, as he's a fourth-year WR who's been a major disappointment and is making $18 million on a fifth-year option.
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While they might have a hard time getting a third-round pick for Johnston, a fourth would be worthwhile to move on from the polarizing and disappointing WR.
That's especially the case if the Chargers feel confident in the health of Tre' Harris and Ladd McConkey. If they're both healthy and can lead this WR room, then a trade of Johnston would make even more sense.
As Graziano notes, a "potential hangup" of a trade being his $18 million fifth-year option for 2027 might not matter, since he's 25 years old and "could benefit from a change of scenery."
With the Chargers season falling apart, it would not be a surprise to see them look to trade a few veteran players away by the November trade deadline. Johnston, a fourth-year WR, could be one such player on the move this Fall.
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