{"id":869138,"date":"2026-04-18T12:30:48","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T12:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869138\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T12:30:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T12:30:48","slug":"did-los-angeles-chargers-let-nfl-draft-trade-ambitions-slip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869138\/","title":{"rendered":"Did Los Angeles Chargers Let NFL Draft Trade Ambitions Slip?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> attempted to do some damage control on the Quentin Johnston trade rumors<\/a> before the NFL draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But one thing the Chargers couldn\u2019t do was outright shut down the idea they could be looking to move around via trade during the NFL draft itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaking with reporters at his pre-draft press conference, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz kept all options on the table when it came to in-draft trades.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hortiz is, after all, according to The Athletic\u2019s Daniel Popper<\/a>, \u201cexcited about the draft and knowing that we\u2019re going to be able to add at least five players, hopefully more, to the roster that can help impact it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully more\u201d could simply be talking about undrafted free agency. But that\u2019s not usually how Hortiz moves, and especially not this year.<\/p>\n

Moving forward, the real debate is just how the Chargers might navigate the board via trade.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chargers could be at center of first-round NFL draft trades\"Los<\/p>\n

Joe Hortiz | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

If one had to guess, the Chargers are far more likely to trade back in the first round, as opposed to up the order.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Granted, we\u2019ve made the case that the Chargers should trade up if Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane is in danger<\/a> of not making it to them at No. 22.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But realistically, a trade down is far more likely. It\u2019s sheer math: Hortiz and the Chargers enter this draft with just five selections. They shipped away a fifth-rounder when obtaining Odafe Oweh in the middle of last season. And back in 2024 they traded away this year\u2019s seventh-round pick when obtaining defensive back Elijah Molden.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Good trades, no doubt, but the lack of selections now is something the Chargers could look to balance out with a move down the board.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Chargers sit right in that sweet spot, too. At No. 22, they could be in range for one of the teams that want to jump up from near the bottom of the first round for a falling prospect. They could also simply be a target for a team with a pick early in the second round who wants to get back in on the action on Thursday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Either way, the Chargers could be looking at making significant gains in terms of draft capital by only moving down a handful of spots.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hortiz touched on this aspect, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to be ready to draft, and that\u2019s what we\u2019ll be, and that\u2019s what we are right now,\u201d Hortiz said, according to Popper. \u201cCertainly, you\u2019ve got to look at every possibility. But to say whether this will be an easy trade-back year, it\u2019s hard to say. It really depends on who is there that teams behind us covet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The needs wouldn’t change regardless. They would still be looking at interior offensive linemen and edge rushers before most anything else. Provided, of course, they don\u2019t go a luxury route like they did last year with Omarion Hampton and get a wideout for Mike McDaniel\u2019s new offense.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Regardless, even the Chargers can\u2019t publicly deny that they will be watching the phones closely as the first round unfolds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sign Up For the Chargers Daily Digest – OnSI\u2019s Free Los Angeles Chargers Newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n

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