There are a couple of things that have been stated numerous times around the NFL this offseason. The Los Angeles Chargers need another wide receiver and Terry McLaurin could be on the outs with the Washington Commanders.
McLaurin continues to search for a new deal from Washington, but trade rumors persist. The Chargers have been connected to these rumors, as many see it as a strong possibility that he is moved there should a trade occur.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report, this time calling the Chargers a dark-horse candidate to acquire the 29-year-old wide receiver.
The Los Angeles Chargers fared better than many expected in head coach Jim Harbaugh's first season at the helm. They won 11 games and made a surprise playoff appearance, but it won't be easy to build on that campaign without some help.
McLaurin could be just who the Chargers need to jump-start their passing attack.
"The Bolts have been struggling to field productive wideouts in recent years, with rookie Ladd McConkey becoming the only L.A. pass-catcher besides Keenan Allen to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in the last three seasons.
As great as McConkey was in 2024, the team needs to provide quarterback Justin Herbert with more assistance to be an aerial threat going forward.
The L.A. passing offense was exposed in the Wild Card Round last season. Herbert went just 14-of-32 for 242 yards and had only one touchdown along with four interceptions during yet another embarrassing playoff defeat.
The 27-year-old signal-caller is now 0-2 in his postseason starts with a 52 percent completion rate and double the number of picks as scoring passes.
Los Angeles did attempt to rectify the issue this offseason, drafting Tre Harris in Round 2 and KeAndre Lambert-Smith three rounds later. These players both have bright futures, but they may not be ready to make a major impact as rookies.
Bringing back longtime Charger Mike Williams was the only other notable transaction the Bolts made to reinforce their receiving corps. It remains to be seen if he has anything left in the tank, as the once-prolific scoring threat produced a meek 21/298/1 stat line last season despite being healthy for 18 games between the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Rather than hope the first-year receivers can step up or Williams can turn back the clock, the Chargers should instead put a first-round offer on the table for McLaurin—a move that would guarantee a significant uptick in the passing production should the Washington Commanders accept", wrote Kay.
It's hard to argue against this idea. A first-round pick is tough to part with, but McLaurin is a special talent and would be a massive upgrade over any wide receiver the Chargers have besides McConkey. However, if the team is unable to put a threat on the field aside from McConkey this season, defenses are going to be able to shut him down.
The hope will be that Tre Harris is that guy, but is that enough? He's a rookie and likely needs some development before he's thrown out as a player who would strike fear into an NFL defense.
If the Commanders would accept a first-round pick for McLaurin, it's a deal you pull the trigger on. If they want more — a distinct possibility — then that's another story. But until a deal gets done between McLaurin and the team that made him a third-round pick in 2019, trade rumors will become more and more rampant.
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