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The Los Angeles Chargers have positioned themselves to deliver a splashy offseason. Despite their first round playoff exit, the Bolts can add extra layers to their postseason roster.
Jim Harbaugh emerged as the franchise-shifting move for the Chargers at head coach. Now they can bolster the talent for Harbaugh. That's where general manager Joe Hortiz comes in — as he faces his first full offseason period with the Chargers.
Hortiz didn't set the NFL world on fire with his free agency moves. Yet J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards proved to be just what Harbaugh needed to create his physical downhill approach. But for the Chargers to finally topple the Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC West, Hortiz will need to execute two big trades to spark the Super Bowl chatter in L.A.
Who are two of the best players the Chargers should trade for? Both are prized names, with one already considered a possible future Chargers player.
DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Yes, Ladd McConkey broke out as the immediate star. Quentin Johnston showed more promise too. But the Pro Bowler Metcalf has NFL executives believing the Chargers will make a deal for him, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Wednesday.
Metcalf himself fueled the rumors of him leaving on social media. He shared this cryptic post of his old high school. But there's a catch: His school's logo features a lightning bolt similar to the Chargers.
DK Metcalf posted this photo where he played high school football for the Oxford Chargers 👀 @ohschargers pic.twitter.com/rQ0cUIuvOZ
— Dean Thanos (@HailDeanThanos) January 23, 2025
Metcalf can take so much pressure off McConkey and form a wicked towering tandem with Johnston if brought over. His current contract already features an opt out clause for 2025. He officially becomes a free agent in 2026. But the Seattle WR carries a massive $31.8 million cap hit.
Seattle is facing slim chances of keeping Metcalf beyond 2026. The Chargers can strike big and give Justin Herbert a new, explosive and physical talent to throw to. Hortiz and the front office will need to find a way to work with his expensive salary. But Metcalf's arrival boosts the Chargers' chances of taking control of the division for the first time since 2009.
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Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers
Here's another prized 2026 free agent who the Bolts can gravitate towards. And for a multitude of reasons when glancing at the cornerback room.
Asante Samuel Jr. is a free agent this spring. But so is Kristian Fulton and Eli Apple. The Chargers could be witnessing a depleted CB room this offseason. All three, or even two of the three, aren't locks to return.
L.A. can opt to pursue a CB who can use a change of scenery. Horn has only picked off one pass in his last 21 games for the Panthers. But he's fresh off delivering new career-highs in tackles (68), solo stops (49), sacks (two), and pass deflections (13).
Furthermore, his current value compared to Metcalf makes him even more tradeable. Horn carries only a $12.4 million cap hit while set to earn that number in base salary ahead of 2025.
Carolina has an inability to keep its best defenders. Brian Burns got shipped to the New York Giants one year ago. Jeremy Chinn was another past defensive loss. Frankie Luvu also never stayed. Or course, Carolina's biggest trade occurred during 2022 with running back Christian McCaffrey.
The Panthers can save cap room and potentially add new draft capital by dealing Horn to the Chargers. It'll likely mean a Day 2 pick gets sacrificed in this type of deal on Hortiz's end. But the Chargers need a true shutdown CB to counter Bo Nix and Patrick Mahomes twice a year. Horn is an upgrade at CB if lured to L.A.
