The NFL trade deadline is upon us, and the Chargers could use some reinforcements, most notably along the defensive line.
However, Tom Telesco has not been notorious for making splash in-season trades since taking over as general manager back in 2013.
Telesco has only made two. The first came when he traded WR Dontrelle Inman to the Bears for a seventh-round pick, and the other came last season when CB Desmond King was shipped to the Titans for a sixth-round pick.
Telesco’s non-aggressive approach to trades, especially during the season, comes down to him valuing his draft picks and building the team within the players he brings in.
While it’s rare, head coach Brandon Staley did not completely rule it out.
“We want to make sure that we’re exploring an avenue if there is one. And if there isn’t, that’s OK, too,” Staley said, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
Los Angeles is equipped to pull the trigger on a player with a little over $12 million in cap space and all draft picks, plus more with the projected compensatory picks the team is likely to receive.
An interior defender would go a long way to improving a dead-last ranked run defense that has been problematic all season.
For a team positioned to contend, Telesco may strongly want to consider stepping outside of the norm and make a move for someone like Bears’ Akiem Hicks ahead of the deadline on Nov. 2 at 1:00 pm PT.
