Potential Chargers Trade Target Inches Closer to Leaving Current Team

While the sports world has been focused on the NBA trade deadline, the NFL isn't lagging too far behind on juicy trade speculation. The offseason is off to a dramatic start, with Myles Garrett officially requesting a trade and the Los Angeles Rams actively shopping Cooper Kupp. It looks like another star player may be hitting the trade block soon.

NFL's sack leader and Bengals star Trey Hendrickson was on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday and made his intentions about his future clear. Hendrickson, who is about to enter the final season of his contract, said he is looking for an extension or a trade.

This creates an exciting opportunity for the Los Angeles Chargers in the offseason.

Trey Hendrickson Should Be a Top Chargers Trade Target This Offseason

The Chargers are already an elite defensive team. They allowed the fewest points of any team in the NFL in 2024. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and head coach Jim Harbaugh helped the team take a significant step forward on that end of the field.

The defensive improvement, however, shouldn't negate the fact that the team still has weakness on that side of the ball. The Bolts ranked 12th in pass rushing per Pro Football Focus, and Joey Bosa continued to show signs of decline. Khalil Mack, coming off yet another excellent season, is 33 and a pending free agent.

Hendrickson just had an All-Pro first-team season and made his fourth straight Pro Bowl. He is almost certainly worth a first-round pick in a potential trade. The Bolts eventually need to think about what to do in the pass rush rotation after Bosa and Mack. Whether using your premium draft assets on trading for the 30-year-old Hendrickson is the best use of resources is up for debate, but an opportunity to land an elite difference-maker doesn't come around too often.

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