The Los Angeles Chargers adapted to life with Justin Herbert’s new contract last season and the Chargers receiver room suffered. Herbert’s five-year, $262.5 million contract forced Los Angeles to revamp its pass catchers as Keenan Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears and Quentin Johnston had an increased role.
But while Ladd McConkey had a breakout rookie season with 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns, they couldn’t find a reliable No. 2 target as Johnston struggled with drops and inconsistency. This makes finding another playmaker in the passing game a priority this offseason and it got easier when the NFL informed teams that the salary cap would increase in the neighborhood of $22.1 million to $26.1 million for the 2025 season.
The Chargers have plenty of needs and can use free agency to their advantage with $70.4 million in cap space according to Over The Cap. But when it comes to finding a receiver, one name rises above the rest and should be a top target for Los Angeles.
Deebo Samuel Should Be the Chargers' Top Trade Target After NFL Salary Cap Spike
Deebo Samuel has been creating noise approximately 350 miles north of Los Angeles as he requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers. The relationship has gotten so bad between the two sides that a split is imminent, although Samuel’s value isn’t what it used to be.
Samuel was a dynamic weapon for the 49ers in 2021, racking up 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns. The performance helped him earn an All-Pro nod and a three-year, $71.5 million contract extension but since then, he’s averaged just 929 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns over the past three seasons.
Last year was the low point for Samuel as he caught 51 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns. But he also lost effectiveness on the ground as he ran 42 times for 136 yards (3.2 yards per carry) and had a 45.2% success rate, which is defined by the frequency that a runner gets 40% of yards needed on first down, 60% of yards needed on second down and 100% of yards needed on third or fourth down.
With an 8.9% drop rate that was higher than Johnston (8.3%), a $15.8 million cap hit for 2025 and $33.1 million in void money spread from 2026 to 2029, Samuel may not be worth the trouble. But one area he could help is an area that Jim Harbaugh loves the most – the running game.
Kyle Shanahan used Samuel frequently on the ground as he averaged 42 carries and 240 rushing yards per season over his six-year career. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman is also creative in establishing the running game but Los Angeles was in the middle of the pack, ranking 17th in rushing offense and 22nd in yards per carry (4.1) last season.
Diving into a deep running back class is one way to fix that problem but so is a dynamic player like Samuel. While the Chargers also need to upgrade the interior of their offensive line, Samuel could still affect the game in multiple areas, which gives him an advantage over other trade targets such as Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp.
The Chargers could still ask San Francisco to take on part of Samuel’s contract but the cap hike makes things a lot easier. If the two sides can find a role, Samuel could probably fill it and give the Chargers offense the playmaker it desperately lacked last season.