The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-7 and the trade deadline is rapidly approaching. The Chargers have confounded the rest of the NFL as they have yet to engage in trade discussions on any of their players but that has not stopped the calls and the speculation.

The Chargers appeared to be attempting to stand pat through their week seven bye and emerge from the bye with answers and limited reinforcements returning to the field in an attempt to keep the ship from sinking. It is believed around the NFL that after their loss to the Rams, dropping them to 0-7, the Chargers will finally be ready to take calls and listen regarding some of their players.

Rumors surrounding franchise quarterback Justin Herbert have been swirling with his play this season being far below his career averages and seemingly lost in Mike McDaniel's complex timing based offense. On one hand, Herbert is one of the most polarizing quarterbacks in the NFL. There seems to be little grey area of opinion on him and this season is something completely different. On another, Herbert has a track record of six years of excellent play and this season is a clear outlier with the enitre offense falling off the tracks.

Herbert's track record of elite play would generate a massive trade market if he were available, even despite the terrible season he is having in 2026. For this reason and his position as a polarizing quarterback, the media has been all over trade speculation as the November 10th trade deadline rapidly approaches.

Mike McDaniel on the hot seat

The lack of success this year for the Chargers and Justin Herbert has been frustrating and confusing. The Chargers made the splash of the offseason with the hiring of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and it has been an unforeseen disaster. McDaniel tried to have Justin Herbert adjust the way he plays to fit the Shanahan system as opposed to adjusting the system to fit the skill of the quarterback.

Herbert has a long throwing motion, which widely accounts for why a 6'6 quarterback gets passes batted down at the frequency in which he does. Most quarterbacks who succeed in Shanahan systems have a short and quick throwing motion. It would have made more sense to try to design and incorporate segments of the system that fit Herbert as opposed to asking him to play more like Tua Tagovailoa, McDaniel's quarterback in Miami.

The changes have resulted in significant regression for Herbert and the offense. The lack of changes to the system to fit the players, wide receivers included, has resulted in the Chargers being winless heading into week nine and McDaniel on the hot seat. McDaniel being on the hot seat makes trading Justin Herbert a near non-starter simply because the results with McDaniel have lowered Herbert's overall value to it's lowest point.

Justin Herbert's contract

Justin Herbert's contract provides the real reality of his trade market. Media headlines can speculate all they want, Herbert has a full no-trade clause. He's not going anywhere unless he wants out.

Herbert's contract is also structured in a way that trading him would hit the Chargers with over $80 million in dead cap between this season and next with the bulk hitting in 2027. Trading Herbert would be a signal for a full tear down and rebuild for the Chargers. Unless Herbert signals to ownership that he is 100 oercent done, there is no way the Chargers move on from him.