Chargers could eat cap hit, trade for Vikings veteran to help Justin Herbert

As the NFL trade deadline nears on Tuesday, teams will begin to see if they can save money by unloading unneeded contracts. The Los Angeles Chargers may be on the other side of this, as they'll be looking to acquire talent to help propel them towards a deep playoff run.

Specifically on offense, the Chargers need help at offensive line and running back. Rookie Omarion Hampton is nearing his return, but the opportunity to have more than one option in the backfield is enticing, especially with some of the options potentially available.

One veteran that might be up for trade is Aaron Jones Sr, who hasn't been able to hit his stride with the Minnesota Vikings this year. The veteran back could be a solid option for the Chargers, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN.

Chargers could be willing to eat dead cap hit to acquire Aaron Jones

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones — Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Jones is just one year removed from rushing for 1,138 yards and five touchdowns with the Vikings. Injuries have limited him to just three games this year. In those three games, Jones has just 61 yards on 18 carries.

"Moving on from Jones might be more about saving money than anything else," Barnwell said. "He is owed just over $1 million in 2025 and has $2 million of his $10 million compensation in 2026 guaranteed, a deal the Vikings are likely to move on from this offseason. Would a team like the Chargers be willing to essentially pay $3 million to have Jones in its lineup for the rest of 2025?"

As it stands currently, the Chargers have just under $3 million in cap space for 2025. They'd almost certainly have to make some moves in order to make the Jones move work, but nothing unrealistic in the grand scheme of things.

Jones could also be a true receiving threat out of the backfield, as he has six seasons with at least 30+ catches under his belt. Running more 21 or 22 personnel to throw another wrinkle in the passing game with Jones' presence could throw opposing defenses off.

This is another move the Bolts should look into.

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