The Los Angeles Chargers have a pretty appealing trade deadline candidate with Quentin Johnston. 

Granted, Khalil Mack going back to the Chicago Bears comes to mind first. 

But Johnston is right there as someone who might have value. He’s still 25 years old and on his rookie deal through 2027. At face value, he’s a guy who has scored eight touchdowns in a season two times. 

Granted, some of this boils down to the Chargers’ list of actually appealing trade candidates being…pretty small. But Johnston coming up in NFL trade rumors from insiders at this point makes sense, all things considered. 

Chargers’ Quentin Johnston trade spots include Steelers, 49ers

Let the insiders tell it, the NFL considered Johnston a trade candidate dating back to at least last March, even before the Chargers picked up his fifth-year option. 

According to ESPN’s Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler, Johnston’s name is now “resurfacing his name in league circles.” They give him a 25 percent chance of being traded while listing the San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers as possible fits. 

Let’s throw out the Raiders because the AFC West tax might prevent a deal. Shipping Johnston elsewhere in the AFC to the Steelers might make some sense. DK Metcalf headlines the receiving bunch over there, but it’s all running backs and tight ends doing the bulk of the work in the passing game otherwise. 

Even more appealing might be sending Johnston to the NFC. The 49ers continue to feel like a buy-happy team but the biggest stars on the offense don’t play wideout, even if Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel are big names. 

Point is, the Chargers should have options when the NFL trade deadline arrives. And they’re at the point where they need to largely blow up the depth chart. Ladd McConkey can’t stay healthy. Names like Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith haven’t developed. Brenen Thompson is a rookie. 

There’s a reality where the Chargers draft Jeremiah Smith at No. 1 in the draft and pair him with McConkey. Everything else would be in flux. Years of miserable roster-building at the skill positions and interior offensive line have ruined things. 

The Chargers getting anything back at all for Johnston’s very obvious departure would be a win at this point. Not moving him would simply continue more of the same problems and prevent those other wideouts from, at the very least, getting some developmental reps and putting something on film the rest of the way this season.