The Los Angeles Chargers bolstered their offensive line in the offseason, and the new additions could lead to a Zion Johnson trade. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Boston College product has never quite played up to that first-round draft capital but has remained a solid starter. Last year, the third-year veteran finished the season with a 64.4 PFF grade, the 38th-best mark out of 77 eligible players.
However, he may not return for Year 4. Los Angeles declined his fifth-year option, which means he will be a free agent following the 2025 season. With free agent signee Mekhi Becton taking the right guard job and Bradley Bozeman potentially moving to guard following the addition of center Andre James, the Chargers could look to trade Zion Johnson and maximize his return. At least, that’s what Bleacher Report‘s Gary Davenport believes, as the NFL analyst recently wrote that Johnson could be “fresh out of chances.”
“The Chargers also brought in veteran Andrew James, who has 60 career starts under his belt,” Davenport writes. “If James wins the job, the best move for the Chargers might be shopping Johnson to teams with a need on the offensive line.”
Report: Chargers Could Trade Zion Johnson
Possible Fits
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints face the unenviable job of trying to support two young, untested quarterbacks in Spencer Rattler and second-round pick Tyler Shough. While it’s anyone’s guess who will start next year, whoever wins the job will struggle behind this makeshift offensive line. Head coach Kellen Moore is trying to turn first-round bust Trevor Penning into a guard, but if that fails, the team should trade for Zion Johnson. New Orleans won’t make the playoffs next year, but protecting a young quarterback is easily worth a late-round pick swap.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks will live and die with Sam Darnold in 2025, which means they must improve the offensive line. Darnold had a great 2024 in a near-perfect environment with the Minnesota Vikings, but his failed tenures with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers show he cannot thrive in a flawed atmosphere. Seattle has one of the league’s worst offensive line, and a trade for someone like Zion Johnson could provide some much-needed stability that could give Darnold the time to connect with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have two great tackles and one of the league’s top centers. An elite quarterback like Lamar Jackson can easily thrive with this blocking, but the old saying goes that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The Ravens need more stability at guard, and Johnson could provide yet another player capable of keeping Jackson upright and clearing lanes for Derrick Henry. The only question is whether or not the Chargers would ever trade Zion Johnson to a fellow AFC contender like the Ravens.
Main Photo: Robert Hanashiro – Imagn Images
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