Diontae Johnson trade rumors are heating up – and Chargers should be all over it

The Los Angeles Chargers offense has come alive around Justin Herbert ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

But Ladd McConkey’s breakout shouldn’t mean the Chargers are shying away from trades.

That’s especially true when the Chargers haven’t actually gotten DJ Chark on the field yet — and the NFL trade rumors surrounding names like Carolina Panthers and Diontae Johnson continue to increase.

Johnson has been linked to the Chargers many times as an ideal partner. And the latest rumor comes from Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, who wrote the following: “There is a growing belief around the NFL that the Panthers will be increasingly likely to trade WR Diontae Johnson before the trade deadline. Several competing teams are interested, although determining Johnson’s value in the final year of his contract has been a challenge for him.”

It’s always going to be difficult to pin down actual trade compensation for Johnson, as he came into this year with a $10 million cap hit and is a half-season rental who hasn’t exactly been able to produce amid the Bryce Young-Andy Dalton quarterback purgatory. .

But Johnson, like Chark, might be able to stretch the defense in interesting ways, opening things up for McConkey and former first-rounder Quentin Johnston.

If the price isn’t too high, the Chargers won’t lose much if a rookie like Diontae Johnson simply doesn’t work out. The front office has a wealth of assets that are about to open up for rebuilding next season, so it would make sense to move a small one in exchange for a better chance at a playoff run.

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