Chargers Free Agency Mailbag 3.0: Trades, Cap Space and the Draft

The Los Angeles Chargers have made some very solid moves to bolster their roster since the start of free agency. Joe Hortiz and the Chargers front office have also been painstakingly deliberate with the moves they have made and players re-signed and brought in.

We are now entering week three of NFL free agency with most of the top players signed and attention shifting to pro-days and private pre-draft visits. Let's address some mailbag questions entering this third week of the new league year.

From Rishad Dastur (@Cobra_3167 on X): With $50M in Cap space left. What is the one splash trade you could see happening? Could BTJ, Aiyuk, AJ Brown or Jalen Carter be a target post June 1st?

The amount of cap space the Chargers are currently carrying is eye opening for a team eyeing contention. There is no doubt that the Chargers are keeping their options open and maintaining flexibility for a major move if the stars align.

The Chargers are clearly snooping around the wide receiver market and potentially may eye one in the draft as well. A trade for wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr or AJ Brown would be more likely in the cards than a defensive lineman in Jalen Carter. Jalen Carter has certain off-field baggage that the Chargers typically steer clear of.

The jury is still out on Brian Thomas Jr and if the Jacksonville Jaguars are interested in moving on from him. He is still on his rookie contract, his cap hit would not be significant, even for a first-rounder. Following the 2024 draft, it was made known that Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh loved BTJ but with the odd circumstances surrounding his time in Jacksonville, the mood may have shifted.

AJ Brown would be a massive swing for the Chargers. But, a swing like a trade for Brown would have to be completed after June 1st, therefore would require draft capital from 2027 making the move more interesting. The Chargers would only be responsible for Brown's salary if they traded for him, although he would likely want a new deal. Adding a top wide receiver like Brown to the room to pair with Ladd McConkey would signal an aggressive push from the front office entering Jim Harbaugh's third season and Justin Herbert's age 28 season.

From BigDaddyE (@BigDaddyE3737 on X): It seems like there is smoke around adding another WR to the team. Do you think WR could be a position taken in the draft or do you think they will just re-sign KA (Keenan Allen) after the draft? Do they even see him as a scheme fit?

There is definitely smoke around the Chargers and the wide receiver market. The draft is loaded with wide receiver talent and there are multiple speed demons that Mike McDaniel could find creative uses for.

Keenan Allen may still be a possibility to be brought back, specifically after the draft. The Chargers, with only five picks, need to keep their cards close to the vest. They should absolutely at least want to appear to be in the wide receiver market to hopefully manipulate the draft board to any extent they can.

Whether or not Keenan Allen is a scheme fit for Mike McDaniel is debatable. He can still create separation and get open in critical moments which has value. McDaniel has used veteran wide receivers in various roles before, but Ladd McConkey needs to be the clear focal point of the offense if Allen is brought back.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen — Keenan Allen | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

From DB23 (@dam_bar on X): Joe Alt Round 1 and Branson Taylor Round 6 are the only 2 OL picks in 2 drafts? Double OLine draft coming up and cap cuts, or a big splash trade?

Joe Hortiz and the Chargers front office have been rebuilding and reshaping the roster in their first two seasons. There were multiple holes on the roster when the new front office took over in 2024. They have been aggressive addressing those holes in each of the first two drafts. The lack of offensive line additions has been puzzling but to be fair, the amount of terrible luck that landed on the 2025 offensive line in terms of injuries would have crippled nearly any team in the NFL.

Considering how the past two drafts have been conducted, drafting multiple offensive lineman seems like a logical move and a safe bet. The Chargers need a guard, a center and potentially a tackle. Finding versatile prospects who may be capable of filling more than one role would not be a shock.

From HeezaDandy (@SupahFastDawg on X): Are they done in free agency and now focusing on the Draft?

With close to $50m left under the cap, are they looking to extend Tuli, Daiyan, and Derwin?

The short answer is yes, they are done in free agency for now and focusing on the draft. A small move here and there before the draft would not be surprising but the next domino to fall is the draft.

The cap space they are holding onto does seem a bit excessive but they do have a good chunk of players to sign to extensions. Derwin James Jr, Tuli Tuipulotu, Daiyan Henley are just the starters, after this upcoming season wide receiver Ladd McConkey and tackle Joe Alt will be extension eligible as well as Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart.

The Chargers have young talent at premium positions all coming up for extensions in the very near future. One other point to consider, signing bonuses are paid at the front of a contract and for cap purposes are spread across the life of the contract. That would be a significant amount of cash being paid out over a very short timeline.