The NFL Draft is just around the corner, and there’s a lot of buzz surrounding a potential blockbuster trade that could see the Los Angeles Chargers trade quarterback Justin Herbert.
Sportsbooks have reported a significant shift in odds, with the Chargers’ odds to draft a quarterback in the first round moving from +10000 (100-1) to +600 (6-1). This suggests that sportsbooks believe there’s a real possibility that the Chargers could trade Herbert.
So, what’s behind all the buzz? One of the biggest reasons is Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh’s affinity for C.J. McCarthy, a quarterback who Harbaugh coached to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023. Harbaugh has come out and said that McCarthy is the best quarterback available in the draft, and he’s even gone so far as to say that he thinks McCarthy plays the quarterback position better than any other quarterback in the draft.
Harbaugh’s comments have certainly fueled speculation that the Chargers could trade Herbert and draft McCarthy. Herbert is one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, and he’s widely regarded as a franchise quarterback. However, he has not yet achieved the same level of success as some of his 2020 NFL Draft classmates, such as Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa.
If the Chargers were to trade Herbert, it would be a bold move. But it’s a move that could pay off if McCarthy is as good as Harbaugh believes he is. The Chargers have a lot of young talent on their roster, and adding McCarthy could be the missing piece that they need to compete for a Super Bowl.
Of course, there’s also the possibility that the Chargers could simply be using the trade rumors as a way to drive up Herbert’s trade value. If another team believes that the Chargers are serious about trading Herbert, they may be willing to offer a more lucrative package in exchange for him.
Whatever the Chargers’ intentions are, the trade rumors are certainly adding an extra layer of excitement to the NFL Draft. It’s going to be interesting to see if the Chargers actually do trade Herbert, and if so, what they get in return.
