The Los Angeles Chargers aren’t exactly known for making big trades. Joe Hortiz isn’t the kind of general manager who swings wild deals. Since taking over, he’s made a few smaller moves but nothing that reshaped the roster overnight. That could change in 2026, especially if the right offer comes along.
Coming off two straight playoff exits that left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, the Chargers know the window is open. The AFC West is there for the taking. And with a roster that has real talent at key spots, Hortiz might decide that depth is a luxury he can cash in for something else. A draft pick. A player at a thinner position. You never know.
There are three guys on the roster who make sense as trade bait. One of them has been in rumors since last offseason. Let’s get into it.
Quentin Johnston
Johnston’s name has floated around trade talks before. Hortiz has said publicly he doesn’t expect to move the young receiver, but NFL GMs say stuff like that all the time. The Chargers picked up his fifth-year option, which means they control his rights for another season. An extension isn’t happening right now. That doesn’t mean you can’t move him by the trade deadline if his value spikes.
The funny thing is, Johnston has actually been really productive. People call him a bust because he’s not putting up 1,200-yard seasons. That’s not his role. He’s a yards-after-catch guy who lives in the red zone. Eighteen touchdowns in three seasons. Eight in each of the last two years. That’s not nothing. If teams need a receiver who can get open underneath and finish drives, Johnston is a legit option.
If Hortiz gets an offer he can’t turn down — maybe a high draft pick from a team desperate for help at receiver — Johnston could be gone. He’d still produce with Justin Herbert. But production means value, and value means you can trade him.
Elijah Molden
Molden is a sneaky name here because he’s actually been good for the Chargers. Five years in the league, stints with the Titans and now LA. He’s got 267 tackles, six interceptions, two forced fumbles. He can play. The problem is that the secondary is stacked. Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart, Derwin James, Tony Jefferson, RJ Mickens, and rookie Genesis Smith. That’s a lot of bodies.
Molden is also a free agent after this season. That makes him a rental for whoever trades for him. If a team loses a cornerback to injury and needs a proven nickel who can step in immediately, Molden is exactly the type of player they’d call about. Hortiz has said you can never have enough corners, so he won’t just give him away. But if the price is right, the Chargers have the depth to absorb the loss.
Kimani Vidal
Vidal basically saved the Chargers’ season in 2025. When Omarion Hampton went down, Vidal stepped in and became the starter. He rushed for 643 yards and three touchdowns last year, with big moments against the Dolphins and Raiders. He proved he can carry the load.
The 1-2 punch of Hampton and Vidal looks good on paper. But then the Chargers signed Keaton Mitchell this offseason. If Mitchell stays healthy, he’s the kind of explosive back who changes the offense. Jaret Patterson is also pushing for snaps. Running backs only get traded when there’s no room for them. Right now there’s still room, but that could change fast.
If Mitchell looks like the clear number two early in the season, Vidal becomes expendable. Not because he can’t play. He can. But because another team might value him more than the Chargers do at that point. The NFL is a business. You don’t keep four running backs on the active roster if someone will give you a fourth-round pick for one of them.
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