Chargers Remain Obvious Trade Landing Spot for 1st-Round Rehab Project

How about an all-Harbaugh trade for the Los Angeles Chargers?

Even before the New York Giants hired John Harbaugh this offseason, it was interesting to think about Jim Harbaugh possibly calling up that team and chatting about a Kayvon Thibodeaux trade.

Now? It’s even more interesting than before in the wake of free agency’s first wave.

Tally up Chargers losses and some other factors, and one has to wonder if this trade idea won’t keep topping lists even after the upcoming NFL draft.

Chargers should still consider Kayvon Thibodeaux trade with Giants

New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux — Kayvon Thibodeaux | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

First thing worth pointing out: There are some concerns about the Chargers pass-rush right now.

Sure, the Chargers spent notable cap space again to re-up with Khalil Mack. But he’s aging and a rotational piece. Tuli Tuipulotu is the fast-rising workhorse there, but they haven’t seen much from Kyle Kennard just yet.

Two, and perhaps even more of note, is the Chargers let Odafe Oweh get away in free agency. Conversations about spoiling the trade investment from last year aside, a blue-chip, upside-minded player is gone for the defense and needs to be replaced. They felt strongly enough to trade for that help in the first place, after all.

Now, about Thibodeaux.

He’s a former top-five pick going into the last year of his rookie deal. He peaked at 11.5 sacks in 2023, but he seemingly had more trade rumors around his name than sacks (2.5) last season.

Case in point, Ian O'Connor of The Athletic recently writing that the Giants moving him is "a 50-50 proposition" and that the Giants consider him "a pretty damn good football player despite his declining production."

The supposed asking price from O'Connor? Perhaps a late second-round pick or later.

It would be an upside shot similar to Oweh, really. Thibodeaux’s stock is at an all-time low, but he can’t be worse than Bud Dupree from last year on a rotational basis. The upside is he’s the latest to break out in a Chargers defense scheme…and perhaps he’s a long-term Mack replacement if all goes well.

Wishful thinking, no doubt. But when looking for the next Oweh sort of trade for the Chargers, especially if they need to go offensive line Round 1, it’s worth bringing up Thibodeaux.

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