Chargers Getting Trade Calls About Justin Herbert Already Floated by NFL Insider

The Chargers won't trade Justin Herbert, obviously. But that won't stop other teams from calling, right?

Justin Herbert | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Here come the outlandish takes about Justin Herbert leaving the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Granted, Herbert and the Chargers have opened themselves up for this kind of discourse. There’s chatter about Jim Harbaugh losing the locker room. It’s not uncommon to find serious questions about Herbert’s offseason and play, too. Even Joe Hortiz is catching strays for his poor free-agent class. 

These things happen when a team starts 0-2, let alone dropping games to clubs like the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders. 

Even so, the Chargers don’t have long to course correct before this discourse gets even sillier. 

Chargers trade calls about Justin Herbert mentioned 

Justin Herbert | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So, disclaimer right out of the gates: The idea the Chargers would trade Justin Herbert is straight-up foolishness for a myriad of reasons. 

That out of the way, The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero recently appeared on Rich Eisen’s show and suggested that other teams will start calling the Chargers to see if Herbert’s available for trade, should they keep losing. 

“If they’re 1-5 or 0-6, I don't think that they trade Justin Herbert, but you can bet they’re going to get calls…” Pelissero said. “...Why not? Bad teams, if you’re having a bad season, people are going to sit there and, frankly, try to take advantage of you and go after your good players.” 

Sort of a no-brainer, really. If the Chargers’ season is lost, teams will pick up the phone and give the Chargers a ring, just in case. The calls would amount to about 10 seconds' worth of airtime, with the Chargers quickly shooting it down, but yes, other franchises would do due diligence. 

The reality for the Chargers is pretty simple: If this thing doesn't get turned around over the next few weeks, the real conversation will be about Jim Harbaugh, Mike McDaniel and everyone else saying goodbye by season’s end. 

And yes, starting over with yet another head coach and coordinator would harm Herbert and be a continuation of the same old problems. But it’s what the Chargers can do. Because they won’t be trading a top-10 quarterback, as no amount of compensation would rebalance things in a way that makes sense after losing Herbert. 

But again, this type of discourse, especially nationally, isn’t going to stop unless the Chargers start winning games. In fact, it’ll only get worse. Call it a little bonus motivation for the Chargers to figure it out. 

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