Khalil Mack Ranked as Top Chargers Trade Chip Ahead of Trade Deadline

The Los Angeles Chargers have had a brutal start to this season as they sit at 0-6 and are heading into a Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, which will no doubt be a tough game for the Chargers to win.

As a result of the Chargers having a tough start to 2026, there has been a lot of speculation on whether or not Los Angeles would stay put with the current roster or if they may want to instead make some moves.

On that note, Bleacher Report NFL analyst Alex Kay wrote a piece ranking best trade assets on NFL's worst teams after Week 7, and for the Chargers, edge rusher Khalil Mack was ranked as the top trade chip. With Mack at No. 1, Kay had fellow edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu at No. 2, and veteran safety Derwin James Jr. at No. 3.

Looking at these three players in Mack, Tuipulotu, and James, it is very possible that all three of them could get moved depending on what the Chargers decide to do when the trade deadline gets a lot closer.

Starting with Mack, he is an aging veteran, and with where Los Angeles is as a team, it does make sense for the Chargers to move him because he does not really fit the timeline, and they could possibly get some draft compensation for Mack that could help the Chargers in the future.

Additionally, moving on from Mack could allow rookie edge rusher Akheem Mesidoor a great opportunity to develop and gain a lot of game experience.

Now, getting to Tuipulotu, he is a great pass rusher, and there is no question that the Chargers would like to keep him, but they have not been able to work out an extension, as Kay mentions, and as a result of that, it is very possible that Tuipulotu could leave Los Angeles in free agency.

So, to avoid that, the Chargers may try to see what they could get for Tuipulotu so they can get something for him and not lose him for nothing.

Lastly, when it comes to James, he is still a great safety and arguably is one of the top safeties in the league, but like Mack, he does not really fit the timeline for LA, so it is possible that the Chargers would want to move on from him as well.

Something else Kay also brings up is the fact that James did sign a three-year, $75.6 million extension this offseason, and based on that, it could make sense for the Chargers to trade James to clear cap space and get some draft capital or young talent to potentially put this team in a better position for 2027.

With all that said, ultimately it will come down to what general manager Joe Hortiz wants to do at the deadline and where he believes the team is. But regardless of what the Chargers do at the deadline, it is clear that Los Angeles does have some great talent, especially on the defensive side, which could help the Chargers to acquire more draft capital for the future or help this roster to develop and aim to earn their first win of 2026.