Chargers May Be Sneaky Favorites to Land Super Bowl Wide Receiver

The NFL offseason is in full swing. Mock drafts, trade rumors and free agency predictions are driving NFL media.

The Los Angeles Chargers have a massive list of internal free agents to re-sign, key decisions to be made and roster spots to fill. The wide receiver room has five returning members and is not considered a dramatic need.

The Chargers are doing their due diligence on the draft class at every position. It was still surprising to see Chargers wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal prominently featured while intently watching the wide receiver gauntlet drills during on-field testing at the scouting combine. Of course, that is his job as the receivers coach. But his presence raised the question, could the Chargers be in the market for a wide receiver?

Mike Florio of NBC mentioned the Chargers as a team to watch with wide receiver AJ Brown potentially forcing his was out of Philadelphia. NFL insider for CBS Jonathan Jones named the Chargers as a team to monitor for pending free agent receiver Mike Evans.

It is clear that voices around the NFL are at the very least entertaining or hearing that the Chargers may be kicking the tires on adding to the wide receiver room. An additional free agent fit with the Chargers that has been suggested by multiple voices, including myself, is the Super Bowl-winning wide receiver Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed is expected to hit the open market.

Rashid Shaheed is said to not be close to an extension with the Seahawks and the expectation is that he now will test the free agent market Monday, per sources. pic.twitter.com/O0xwPdfNZn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2026

Why Rashid Shaheed makes sense for the Chargers

The Rams, Seahawks and Patriots all had at least two wide receivers that received a top 20 ranking in ESPN's open scores in 2025. The Denver Broncos were the only conference finalist who did not. Ladd McConkey was the Chargers lone receiver to make the top 20, coming in at 12th.

If the Chargers want to add a receiver to their room who was also in the top 20 of open scores in 2025, Rashid Shaheed makes sense. Shaheed, across two teams in 2025, landed 19th on the list. The fit itself is rather seamless, considering the Seahawks, with Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator, ran a Shanahan-inspired offense just as the Chargers will be transitioning to under Mike McDaniel.

Shaheed is a fast, field-stretching wide receiver with explosive play potential on every snap. He was traded from the New Orleans Saints to Seattle in the middle of the 2025 season. While in Seattle, Shaheed had an average depth of target of 15.8 yards, highlighting his target share coming deep in the route tree.

Ladd McConkey excels in the intermediate part of the field and being paired with a receiver like Shaheed would stretch the defense even more.

Shaheed is also a phenomenal returner. The Chargers currently have Deruis Davis on the roster who has not followed up his All-Pro rookie campaign with a season to match.

The Chargers and Seahawks are deeply connected with Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald was Harbaugh's defensive coordinator at Michigan briefly and Jim's son Jay Harbaugh is the special teams coordinator in Seattle. It stands to reason that if the Seahawks and Shaheed are unable to come to terms on an extension, the relationships make make sense for Shaheed to head south to Los Angeles.