Chargers Getting Creative, Trading Quentin Johnston in De'Von Achane Deal Could Work

The Chargers could go get Mike McDaniel and Justin Herbert a new weapon with a little creativity on the NFL trade block.

De'Von Achane | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers have tiptoed around the idea they could trade away Quentin Johnston this offseason. 

Whether Johnston is a fit in the new Justin Herbert offense coordinated by Mike McDaniel remains to be seen. But while rebuilding the depth chart on the offensive line, at tight end and running back, the Chargers have yet to do much at wide receiver. 

Perhaps that’s by design. The Chargers have a former first-round pick asset in Johnston who still has some nice upside as a trade candidate, provided McDaniel wants to get some different guys in the room for his offense. 

Maybe the Chargers are just waiting for the right thing to come along. 

And maybe they should be paying attention to some of the trade buzz coming out of Miami and around running back De'Von Achane. 

Chargers trading Quentin Johnston for De'Von Achane could make sense

De'Von Achane | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Achane has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason. 

So much so, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan just went public about it while telling reporters that they won’t be trading Achane. 

But this is the same Dolphins franchise and general manager who said the same things about Jaylen Waddle before trading the wideout to the Denver Broncos. 

So, maybe McDaniel gets the Chargers to pick up the phone and have a chat. 

Over at Bleacher Report, Moe Moton brought up the idea of sending Johnston in exchange for Achane. 

“Los Angeles could send wide receiver Quentin Johnston, along with a second-rounder and an early Day 3 pick, to Miami for Achane,” Moton wrote. “Johnston is entering the final term of his rookie deal, unless the Chargers exercise the fifth-year option.”

It’s a good take…provided it’s what McDaniel wants. He should get what he wants if the Chargers are serious about maximizing Herbert and winning it all. His fingerprints have been all over every single free-agency signing so far. If he wants Achane, or doesn’t want Johnston, the Chargers should make it happen. 

Those Chargers haven’t signaled whether they will pick up the roughly $18 million fifth year on Johnston. Their conservative business practices suggest they would view it as a bargain and do so. But he’s had drop issues (he caught 51 of 85 targets in 2025) and might not fit with McDaniel. 

And sure, the Chargers signed Keaton Mitchell in free agency to pair with Omarion Hampton. But there was a little red flag there that Baltimore didn’t bother to tender Mitchell, a restricted free agent. 

Achane, 24, is much more of a sure thing. He just ran for 1,350 yards and eight scores on a 5.7 per-carry average and caught 67 passes for 488 yards and four scores. 

We can argue all day about whether it’s worth trading for a running back and paying him a big contract after the fact. But the Chargers have excess cap space and if McDaniel wants it to happen, it should be on the table while they’re in win-now mode. 

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