The Los Angeles Chargers find themselves at a crossroads; either fighting themselves back in the playoffs or letting the season go in favor of a better draft selection. The obvious choice for this team is to fight for a playoff spot, as coach Brandon Staley’s job is on the line. Unfortunately, Staley has let this team down with his bottom-ranked pass defense, and with little to no change in scheme, the Chargers should look to target talent instead, whether it is a headlining trade, or a solid veteran being added to this team.
Los Angeles Chargers Trade Targets
Possible Season-Changing Move: Chargers Acquiring Jaylon Johnson from the Chicago Bears
The big-name trade target the Chargers should consider is the Bears’ Jaylon Johnson. Johnson is looking for a new contract, and that may be an issue for the Chargers, as cap space is in short supply for Los Angeles. However, the Saints have proven that the cap salary is a rule you can ignore through the works of general manager wizardry. Jokes aside, anything is possible in the NFL, and the Chargers trading for Johnson is more than within the realm of possibility.
The Chargers have struggled mightily against the pass, a lot of which is to blame on the scheme, but guys like Michael Davis and Ja’Sir Taylor are simply not getting it done. You insert the 24-year-old Johnson, who has the number one coverage grade in the NFL, and the ability to play both man and zone. Johnson currently ranks as the league’s third-best zone cornerback, while also being top 20 in man coverage.
The Chargers will likely have to give up a day two selection, but doing so far with an established, young, extremely talented cornerback amidst a career season is a good deal for bolts, and if Staley and company want to keep their jobs, calling the Bears about this trade target is as best as it gets.
Other Strong Chargers Trade Targets:
Denico Autry
Denico Autry is one of the league’s most underrated defenders, being able to play both on the inside and the outside. Autry is an aging veteran on a team that is looking to move younger, thus making him an intriguing trade target. The Titans have already traded one of their better defenders Kevin Byard. Why not part ways with Autry?
The Chargers are not getting much production from their EDGE4 in Chris Rumph. Also, outside of Morgan Fox, the interior pass rush has been pretty lacking. Autry can fix both of these issues, instantly becoming the second-best interior pass rusher on the team and a very good edge defender. By creating a deeper defensive line, you can create better opportunities for your stars, while still getting valuable production. Autry has already collected four sacks, 18 pressures, and four hits on the season, and if he were to carry this production to Los Angeles, the Chargers would be happy to give up as little as a late day-three selection for the 33-year-old rusher.
Josh Metellus
Josh Metellus is a do-it-all safety for the 3-4 Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings could be looking to reset their team, making anyone on their team a potential trade target. Coming from Michigan as a sixth-round selection, Metellus worked his way into the starting role and has played well in his time in Minnesota. This season, he has been relied on as a Swiss army knife and has shown great ability against the run. Metellus has played snaps at five different spots: 175 Nickel/Slot CB, 129 Box Defender, 84 Defensive Line (50 of which he rushed the passer, having a 75.1 pass-rush grade), 15 snaps at free safety, and lastly 9 snaps at cornerback.
The Chargers have an obvious need at slot cornerback with the lackluster play of second-year sixth-round selection, Ja’Sir Taylor. Metellus would be an automatic cheap upgrade over Taylor, and would give the Chargers needed safety depth as well.
A versatile chess piece on defense that has shown the ability to be an average slot defender would be a massive upgrade over what Los Angeles currently has. The Bolts would likely only have to give up a late-day three-pick for the 25-year-old defender, going to the bargain bin and finding a nice piece for this worn-down defense.
Markus Golden
The trade target the Chargers should look into is one of the decade’s most underrated pass rushers. Markus Golden has not been talked about enough as a trade target for any team, especially for defensive-needy teams. This season for the Steelers Golden has been used sparingly, as they possess one of the league’s best pass-rushing duos in Alex Highsmith & T.J. Watt. Golden is T-8th in pass rush attempts for the Pittsburgh defense and already has his replacement on the team, in preseason standout Nick Herbig.
Though the Chargers do not need another edge rusher, in today’s NFL, having more strong edge defenders, the better. Just look at some of the Super Bowl-contending teams; Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and Miami Dolphins. That said, Golden in his limited pass rush attempts has been wildly effective, and would immediately bring juice to the Chargers’ pass rush, hopefully helping relieve pressure off the Chargers’ extremely lackluster secondary.
Golden amongst edge rushers with at least 20% of their respective teams’ snaps currently ranks: 26th in pass rush grade, 15th in tackling grade, and 31st in total grade. Not bad for an aging veteran with limited opportunities in a stacked edge group. The Chargers would not have to give up much for Golden, and at this point in the season, any defensive help would make a big impact.
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Main Photo: Jamie Sabau – USA Today Sports
The post The Los Angeles Chargers Desperately Need a Change – Potential Defensive Trade Targets appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.