Chargers' prime trade target reportedly drawing massive interest

One of the Los Angeles Chargers' top trade targets is reportedly garnering significant interest.

Dec 24, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) during warmups before the start of the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers absolutely need to address their receiving corps this offseason, and that could mean swinging a big trade somewhere.

One very obvious trade target for the Chargers is San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who seems to be all but a goner this offseason.

But here's the problem: if Los Angeles is going to land Samuel, it apparently must deal with a whole lot of competition for his services.

During an appearance on NFL Live, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler revealed that Samuel is evidently drawing considerable interest on the trade market.

"I just checked in on this," Fowler said. "I was told that several teams have expressed interest, so at least preliminary talks on a potential trade have happened between Samuel, his agent and the team."

Could the Chargers be one of those "several teams" that have checked in on Samuel? It seems only natural to assume that Los Angeles has inquired about his availability.

The Bolts have plenty of cap room to make some moves in free agency and in trades, so they represent one of the clearest fits for some of the top pass-catchers on the market.

Samuel carries a very manageable cap hit of $15.8 million next season, so the Chargers could easily swing a trade for the 29-year-old and still acquire another receiver, especially after the recent salary cap increase.

Samuel is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he caught 51 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns, so he definitely had an off year this past season. But perhaps a change of scenery would do the former Pro Bowler and First-Team All-Pro some good.

Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) during the game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

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