The Los Angeles Chargers are open for business with the number 5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but only if they get a premium.
“They have to make it attractive for us to move away from those players,” general manager Joe Hortiz said. “The whole, ‘It’s a fair trade, it’s a wash’ — I don’t think that’s a trade that we’re interested in.”
“We believe we have the first pick of the draft. I know there’s going to be four picks that go before us, but we believe that,” Hortiz said. “We know it’s the fifth pick and people are going to be trading on that scope, but it’s got to be a good value for us. And does it have to be blown away? What is blown away? I don’t know the answer to that.”
Chargers smart but missing one thing
“We want to add depth, and certainly there are some positions that we don’t ‘need’ but like I said, you’re one play away from needing a position. So, if you look at it based on need you’re never one player away ever. … And so you get a chance to have a great player, and so that’s how we’re going to approach it.”
“I’m the one who picks the player,” Hortiz said, “but it is, when I tell you it’s a collaborative process, it’s a collaborative process. I put the list together based on what we do as a group and that’s scouting, that’s coaching, that’s talking to Jim Harbaugh — Jim’s input, his evaluation on players. I’m the one who ranks them and ultimately the one that calls them.”
While the Chargers position is interesting, it’s not necessarily quite as valuable as they make out. For one thing, while the Cardinals will likely take Marvin Harrison Jr at number 4, they also could potentially trade the pick away if they got a great offer.
Also, everyone knows the Chargers are not taking a QB, so if they want too much for the 5th pick, a QB desperate team can just slot in at 6.
So while the Chargers do have a strong hand, it’s not unbeatable and they would be smart to get that value before draft day.
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