The Los Angeles Chargers don’t really have a bye week if we consider the extensive work they need to put into fixing an 0-6 team. Keep in mind the bye is a key time to watch NFL trade deadline factors around the NFL, too. 

Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers could, after all, attempt to lure the Dallas Cowboys into a Khalil Mack trade. Jerry Jones loves his splashes and the Chargers need all the future-minded assets they can get. 

Despite sitting as one of the more obvious sellers in the entire NFL ahead of the trade deadline, though, the vibes coming out of Los Angeles don’t suggest as much. In fact, the lack of inaction on the coaching staff, especially with Mike McDaniel’s offense, suggests more of the same in all facets. 

A shame, considering NFL trade rumors say the Chargers are getting plenty of calls. 

NFL trade rumors updates on Chargers talks

Rest assured the NFL sees what’s happening to the Chargers and plenty of teams are picking up the phone. 

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Chargers continue to receive calls, but are also “still giving the impression they are standing pat.”

It hardly stops there, either. 

According to ESPN’s Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter, Khalil Mack is a guy drawing interest, but the Chargers “have given no indication that they are willing to make any trades at this time” and they “insist they are trying to win games.”

As Chargers fans have seen though, insisting they're trying to win is quite a bit different than actually, you know, winning games. 

The reality? The Chargers are right to publicly suggest they’re still trying to win and won’t sell. They need some sort of leverage in trade talks, no matter how flimsy it might be. 

It’s not like the Chargers don’t have appealing pieces. Mack is a Hall of Famer in the making who can go help a contender. And the Chargers should probably do right by him. They also have cornerbacks like Donte Jackson who might interest contenders. 

We’re talking minimal return on trades here, but something is better than nothing. Better to have a bunch of assets and cap space before potentially blowing up the coaching staff than what they have now. 

There’s another small wrinkle that is unfortunate, yet true: Trading Mack and others helps the draft outlook. The Chargers won’t outright tank. But sending away some productive players boosts the chances they finish with the No. 1 overall pick. 

Some won’t want to hear that, but it’s simply where the Chargers are right now. There are layers to the trade deadline situation here, and right now, publicly denying they’re going to sell doesn’t mean much. It’s a must.