Chargers convince star to betray Chiefs in free agency projections

The Los Angeles Chargers will go big at the skill positions around Justin Hebrert this offseason, upgrading wideout and tight end at least once, in addition to the offensive line up front.

Such an obvious path for the Chargers creates obvious scenarios, like drafting Michigan’s Colston Loveland in the first round. It also has them constantly linked to high-end wide receivers, either free agency or trade.

A new one, though, is the Chargers being able to convince a Kansas City Chiefs star to perform a bit of a betrayal by coming over via free agency.

Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team has the Chargers doing just that on the open market by signing DeAndre Hopkins:

“Contenders should still kick the tires on Hopkins despite this year being a struggle. At this point in his career, Hopkins might need more of a YOLO-passer than Mahomes is and someone who wants to throw outside of the numbers more. Los Angeles with Justin Herbert looks like that fit.”

Suggesting that Herbert is a better fit for Hopkins than Patrick Mahomes is certainly interesting – but it might not be that far off when one considers the overall offenses.

Those Chiefs, after all, can rebuild the current unit around Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice. There are only so many chances for a 32-year-old weapon like Hopkins.

With the Chargers, a run-first offense and Ladd McConkey constantly spacing the offense by getting himself open could create high-volume opportunities for Hopkins. His last 1,000-yard season was 2023, but he’d be effective and a better option than former first-rounder Quentin Johnston, who could use a mentor, too.

Hopkins couldn’t be the only addition to the wideout room for the Chargers, but the team would get some bonus points for hurting one of their biggest rivals, too.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins — Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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