The Los Angeles Chargers currently possess the 5th overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, and various scenarios have been presented for its potential use. While some mock drafts predict the selection of a receiver given the team’s recent departures in the position, others have suggested that head coach Jim Harbaugh may trade down or trade away the pick altogether to bolster the roster through later rounds. However, the possibility of the Chargers drafting a quarterback has gained traction, a move that NFL analyst Rich Eisen has vehemently dismissed as the “worst take” he has heard in his career.
The odds of the Chargers selecting a quarterback were initially low when mock drafts began to emerge, but bookmakers have since adjusted their odds to 15-1. Eisen vehemently opposes this notion, asserting that the Chargers already have one of the league’s top quarterbacks in Justin Herbert and that Harbaugh would never trade him away. Eisen further argues that the financial implications of acquiring a new quarterback would make the Los Angeles franchise a “poverty franchise.”
Eisen has proposed that the Chargers would consider trading their pick to the Minnesota Vikings if quarterback J.J. McCarthy falls to the 5th overall spot. In such a scenario, the Chargers could acquire the 11th and 23rd picks, giving them the opportunity to draft a receiver or a right tackle. While mock drafts have predicted these potential trades, the rumor that the Chargers would select a quarterback originated from the social media account of former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown, who is known for spreading such rumors.
According to Eisen, the idea that the Chargers would draft a quarterback with Herbert on the roster is highly unlikely. He attributes the rumor to Brown’s social media account, CTESPN Network, which claims to be a credible source. Brown alleges that one of his sources informed him that Herbert underwent a physical following surgery on his index finger and that the results were not favorable. Brown further suggests that Herbert’s participation in training camp is uncertain and that if the situation does not improve, a trade with the Vikings is possible.
These speculations have led to a surge in betting odds for the Chargers to select a quarterback, moving from +2500 to +900, according to ESPN BET Live host Joe Fortenbaugh. Another source close to Brown claims that the Vikings are not impressed with any of the quarterbacks in the draft and have shifted their attention to Herbert. However, the details of a potential trade package have yet to be determined. Despite the rumors, there is little substance to support the claims made by Brown’s social media account. Nonetheless, if a trade were to materialize, it would undoubtedly be one of the biggest stories of the NFL offseason.
