Chargers Rumors: 3 Trades to benefit Justin Herbert

Trade No. 2: Cameron Brate for a fifth-round pick

If you look around the league at some of the other young quarterbacks, you’ll notice a growing trend. Teams like to have a few talented tight ends, not just one capable starter.

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Take, for example, Carson Wentz. The Philadelphia Eagles already had one of the best in the game in Zach Ertz, but used high draft capital to bring in Dallas Goedert. Why? Because both are in the upper echelon of talent when it comes to the tight end position, and a young quarterback trusts a good tight end. So, the Eagles gave him two security blankets.

Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield are other great examples. Jackson and the Ravens had so many tight ends that they could even afford to trade Hayden Hurst while sticking primarily with Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle. Mayfield, meanwhile, has newly-signed Austin Hooper, the ultra-athletic David Njoku and the Browns still invested in rookie Harrison Bryant.

The Bucs brought Rob Gronkowski out of retirement. They already have a freakish athlete in O.J. Howard, and still a strong red zone and third-down threat in Cameron Brate. Tampa has two top-10 receivers on the roster as well, so they could easily afford to unload a tight end.

The Chargers have Hunter Henry, who is fantastic when healthy. But, health is always a question with him. Behind Henry, there’s not much by way of someone who could take over and be even close to as effective. Virgil Green is next in line, and he isn’t exactly a top-tier talent. Brate would give Herbert a second trustworthy target he could look to on crucial downs.