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The Los Angeles Chargers are a team to watch in the AFC for the 2025-26 season. Jim Harbaugh has already flipped the switch on this franchise, winning 11 games and a playoff birth in his first year as head coach.
A major reason why the Chargers were successful in his first year of coaching the team was because of their defense. Harbaugh brought with him from Michigan, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Minter did a phenomenal job keeping opposing offenses from scoring a lot of points. For the majority of last season, LA's defense was No. 1 in fewest points allowed. Heading into the 2025-26 season, the defense will look a little different, and the Chargers could be a team that could trade for another star to keep it among the best in the NFL.
Matt Bowen at ESPN broke down a few trade targets and what team is their best fit, as well as the best fits for the remaining free agents.
Green Bay Packers' cornerback Jaire Alexander is considered one of the top corners in the league. He brings value to the position as someone who can shadow the top opposing receiver, as well as deflect passes and even intercept them.
Bowen sees the Chargers as the best fit for the former first-round pick.
In 2016, the Chargers signed Casey Hayward from the Packers to a three-year deal. He proved to be one of the better signings and played four seasons with the team. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro with the Bolts. Alexander could fill a similar role with LA, a team that already has a very good defense.
Here is Bowen's take on the potential move.
“The Chargers signed Donte Jackson to a two-year deal and Benjamin St-Juste to a one-year contract this offseason. However, if Alexander is available in a trade, he would be seen as an upgrade in Jesse Minter's defensive system. The Chargers are zone-heavy, playing both single-high Cover 3 and split-safety schemes. Alexander has the play instincts and foot quickness to match routes, and his transition speed allows him to make plays on the ball. Alexander has intercepted 12 passes and broken up 57 in his career.”
As true as this sounds, Bowen didn't mention the two starting cornerbacks that the Bolts already contain. Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart did a fantastic job over the course of their rookie seasons. Still had four interceptions, including a 61-yard pick-six against the Atlanta Falcons. With Jackson expected to be one of the starters, adding Alexander into the mix would give the team a stacked secondary and a ton of depth.
Alexander, Hart, Still, Jackson, Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, and Elijah Molden make for a potentially dominant secondary. Veteran Tony Jefferson and St-Juste are also good depth pieces to have.
Chargers Trade Proposal For Jaire Alexander
A potential trade package for Alexander should not be considered high. It's unclear what the Chargers would be willing to let go of in order to acquire the two-time Pro Bowler. However, they have the cash to extend Alexander if that becomes available. The team's cap space reaches north of $110 million starting after next season.
Over some time now, Alexander and the Packers have had trade discussions. This isn't coming out of left field. The Packers won't have much leverage to retrieve the package they are looking for in return. A couple mid-round picks could get the job done. Because acquiring the cornerback would require an extension, the trade package won't be hefty.
Los Angeles has one pick in each of the first six rounds for 2026. They traded their 7th-round pick to acquire Molden from the Tennessee Titans in 2024. They could get a few compensatory picks as well, but that won't be announced until next Spring.
Chargers trade proposal: 2026 3rd Round Pick + 2026 5th Round Pick
The Bolts are young. They have depth and are ready to start winning now. This trade package allows the Chargers to keep their depth at the position, as well as land one of the top players at the position.
The Chargers can afford to lose a third-round and fifth-round pick for next year's draft. This past 2025 NFL Draft, the Bolts took a defensive lineman from Oregon, Jamaree Caldwell, in the third round. It's too early to tell if that pick will pan out, however, it's clear the Bolts' future won't rely on it having the 2026 third-round pick.
From that point, the Chargers could find a way to agree on a contract extension for Alexander. He has mentioned that he prefers to be released by the Packers so he could choose his team, however, the Packers could benefit with the extra picks instead of getting nothing in return.
