The Los Angeles Chargers have traded offensive lineman Russell Okung to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for Trai Turner, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Here is the trade that tentatively has been agreed to: pic.twitter.com/rnLDsTK4Qp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2020
Okung played in just six games this past season due to a pulmonary embolism that surfaced last offseason.
The 32-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Oklahoma State, was originally selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the sixth overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft.
He started 10 games at left tackle during his rookie campaign, and by his third year in the league, Okung was a Pro Bowler.
Okung spent the first six years of his career with the Seahawks, and while he was a strong contributor when he was healthy, he never played a full 16-game season in Seattle.
In March 2016, he signed a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos and participated in all 16 contests for the first time in his NFL tenure.
That ensuing offseason, Okung signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Chargers and proceeded to make his second Pro Bowl appearance in 2017, appearing in 15 games. The following season, Okung once again played in 15 contests.
When healthy, Okung is one of the better left tackles in the league, but based on his questionable injury history and the health issues he dealt with in 2019, he certainly seems like a risky bet going forward, especially considering his age.
That being said, the Panthers were in need of an offensive lineman, so Okung represents a fine option for them, especially if they want to take a quarterback with their first-round draft pick.
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