Whispers abound: is the Chargers' high-drafted wideout a trade piece? New arrivals may signal a changing of the guard at receiver.
The Los Angeles Chargers are still trying their best to fill the holes on their roster via free agency, but that doesn't mean that the window for making trades has closed.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Chargers WR Quentin Johnston is a name that has come up in trade talks. Johnston is coming off his third year in Los Angeles, and his production (as the team's #1 WR) again left a lot to be desired.
Johnston's 735 receiving yards and 8 touchdown catches were almost identical to his stats from 2024, and probably cemented in the Chargers front office that he's a fine #2 WR but that they need to get Justin Herbert some more receiving help.
I was slightly confused as to why the team would be trading him when they need more WRs and not less, but I think this actually makes sense.
Ladd McConkey makes for a fine WR2 or slot WR. Keenan Allen would almost assuredly come back on an inexpensive deal to fill the slot WR spot if Ladd is WR2. Tre Harris is (probably) a WR2 in waiting and depth. That leaves almost no spot for Johnston outside of WR1, which he appears to be a bad fit for.
I had previously written about the fit of Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown on the Chargers, seeing as how he is on the trade block, and I suppose Johnston would make sense as a WR2 going back that can play next to DeVonta Smith.
Another option would be Rashod Bateman, who has been with the Baltimore Ravens since they drafted him in the 1st round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Maybe Jesse Minter thinks Johnston is special, and maybe the Ravens are tired (like the Chargers) of waiting for Bateman to live up to his potential, and the teams are thinking about a one-for-one swap? I don't think that really puts the Chargers in a better position than the one they're in, but maybe they see something in Bateman.
Deebo Samuel and Tyreek Hill, who have both experienced success under the tutelage of Mike McDaniel, are veteran free agent WRs that the team could pursue. However, I think the team is lacking a reliable downfield threat and I don't know that either of them can be that at this point in their careers.
Outside of them and Jauan Jennings, who will be expensive, I don't love the options on the WR free agent market for the Chargers to replace Johnston. Maybe they think Tre Harris is ready?