Chargers fire sale at NFL trade deadline? Landing…

The Los Angeles Chargers are arguably the biggest disappointment of the 2026 NFL season. After back-to-back 11-6 seasons under Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers enter the month of October still looking for their first victory. They have started 0-4 for the first time since 2017, and are just the third team in NFL history to start 0-4 after back-to-back 11-win seasons. 

The Chargers were viewed as the sleeper in the AFC West after hiring former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to be their new offensive coordinator. However, Los Angeles currently ranks fourth-worst in scoring offense (16.8 points per game) and 12th-worst in total offense (306.8 total yards per game), while Justin Herbert hasn’t been playing like a franchise quarterback. He’s completing a career-low 59.7% of his passes for a career-low 204.0 passing yards per game with four touchdowns and six interceptions. It’s been a disaster.

With games against the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams next up on the docket, it’s fair to wonder when that first victory is coming for the Chargers. We are in dangerous territory of this becoming a lost season for Harbaugh, as the Chargers’ Over/Under win total at DraftKings Sportsbook is currently listed at 5.5. 

If things continue to go downhill for Los Angeles, the Chargers could be sellers at the Nov. 10 trade deadline. They have a few intriguing trade targets teams will be looking at — especially when it comes to pass rusher. Let’s take a look at some Chargers players who could be traded in the near future, and a couple of potential landing spots for them as well.

EDGE Khalil Mack

Veteran pass rusher Khalil Mack is now 35 years old and playing on an expiring deal. A contender should reach out and see what it costs to acquire the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Mack has actually recorded three sacks in his first four games this season to go along with 14 tackles and 13 pressures. He is just three years removed from his last double-digit sack season, recording a career-high 17 QB takedowns in 2023.

Wouldn’t it be something if Mack returned to the Chicago Bears, where he spent four seasons from 2018-2021? He made three straight Pro Bowls in Chicago and recorded 36 sacks in 53 games played. 

The Bears have Montez Sweat, Austin Booker and Dayo Odeyingbo — who leads the team with three sacks. Pass rusher is not the biggest need on the team, but a Mack homecoming would help boost Chicago’s defense as the Bears look to repeat as NFC North champions.

The San Francisco 49ers are tied in having the best record in the NFL at 4-0, but have the most games missed due to injury with 76, according to CBS Sports Research. That includes Nick Bosa, who is expected to miss multiple weeks due to a calf injury, and Mykel Williams, who is on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. The 49ers rank in the bottom six in the NFL in sacks with six, as Keion White leads the way with two QB takedowns. John Lynch would be smart to upgrade at pass rusher. 

We could see new Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter push to acquire one of his former players in Mack. Trey Hendrickson, Tavius Robinson and Mike Green headline the Ravens’ pass-rush group, but it could be better. Baltimore has recorded seven sacks over four games, which ranks in the bottom 10. 

The Ravens ranked bottom four in sacks last year, which led them to sign Hendrickson. He’s managed just one sack in three games played, and recently underwent surgery on his finger. Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz knows the Ravens organization as well, as he spent 25+ years there working in player personnel and scouting.

EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu

While some NFL teams are focused on Khalil Mack, there are others who could be interested in the Chargers’ other pass rusher: Tuli Tuipulotu. He made the Pro Bowl last year after racking up a career-high 13 sacks to go along with 20 tackles for loss. It was thought he was holding in for a new deal this preseason, since Tuipulotu is set to make less than $6 million in 2026, but he’s been on the field. Tuipulotu has recorded 18 tackles, two sacks, two passes defensed and one interception in four games played this year. 

The Chargers front office has likely already spent some time negotiating with Tuipulotu’s camp, so they have some idea whether a long-term extension is in the cards. If it’s not, it makes sense to acquire draft capital rather than lose a starting pass rusher for nothing. The Chargers did spend a first-round pick on a pass rusher in this past draft with Akheem Mesidor.

Tuipulotu just had a fantastic game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, recording six tackles, half a sack, his first career interception and one forced fumble. If he were to join the Seahawks, Tuipulotu could come in and immediately join a fun rotation, then get paid and take on a starting role when DeMarcus Lawrence and Dante Fowler Jr. leave this upcoming offseason.

This seems like a Howie Roseman trade. Acquire an underrated pass rusher that is due for a raise, and give him an opportunity to flourish. The Philadelphia Eagles are tied for 31st in sacks this season with four. This Vic Fangio defense as a whole has disappointed, but there’s concern for this pass rush. Nolan Smith Jr. is actually the only pass rusher who has gotten to the quarterback this season! 

The soon-to-be 84-year-old Jerry Jones is swinging trades left and right for the Dallas Cowboys. He acquired pass rusher Rashan Gary in the offseason, and just made a move for cornerback Joey Porter Jr. last week. Could he continue to wheel-and-deal by scooping Tuipulotu? Despite all of the moves the Cowboys have made, this defense is still struggling. That goes for the pass rush as well, which is tied with the Eagles, Dolphins and Chiefs in having the second-fewest sacks in the NFL this year. As we enter Week 5, the Cowboys rank bottom five in both total defense and scoring defense.

Who else could be moved?

Wide receiver Quentin Johnston had a career year in 2025 with 735 yards receiving and eight touchdowns on 51 receptions. However, he’s caught just seven passes for 108 yards and zero touchdowns through four games this season. What could make Johnston tough to move is that the Chargers picked up his fifth-year option for 2027, meaning he will make $18 million fully guaranteed. Maybe there’s an interested team out there that will consider giving him a multi-year extension. 

There are plenty of teams looking for help at cornerback, and the veteran Donte Jackson could be a potential trade target since he’s on an expiring deal. Jackson is in his second season with the Chargers, and has recorded eight tackles and two passes defensed with one forced fumble through Week 4.

Tight end David Njoku is currently on injured reserve, but he could potentially be a sneaky trade target at the deadline. We don’t know the extent of his injury, but in the best-case scenario, he could hypothetically return Nov. 1 if the injury isn’t long-term. Njoku caught just six passes for 67 yards in his two games with the Chargers, but was an athletic weapon during his nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns. If Njoku is not seriously injured, perhaps a team would be interested in acquiring him for cheap next month. 

Other Chargers players on expiring deals

Per Spotrac