Should the San Diego Chargers Make a Trade?

The NFL tradewinds are swirling as the deadline for making a deal is just hours away. The San Diego Chargers have struggled on both sides of the ball, is there anyone out there that they might want to trade for?

Steve Smith

Word has it that the 1-6 Carolina Panthers are shopping Smith and DeAngelo Williams. The Chargers haven't got much production out of Robert Meachem or Eddie Royal, both of whom are currently hurt, and Vincent Brown is still a ways away from coming back to the team from his injury. Perhaps, instead of signing anyone that is walking past Chargers Park and happens to be over the height of 6'3", A.J. Smith should look to add a Pro Bowl WR that's known for his leadership and toughness.

Jared Cook

Cook, a good receiving Tight End, has requested a trade from the Tennessee Titans. Cook had 49 catches for 759 yards and 3 TDs, and he's well on his way towards similar numbers this season.

If the Chargers were to trade for Cook, it would say a few things. For one, it would make the WR situation less dire because it would be a total shift to "the Patriots way" of having more TEs and less WRs. It would also say that Dante Rosario and Randy McMichael haven't been good enough this season to get those types of opportunities.

Could it help the offense? Sure. Having two Antonio Gates instead of one is always a good thing. Could the trade happen? Probably not.

Team needs

Unfortunately, unlike other professional sports, the NFL mostly disregards the trade deadline. It's rare that you find out which players are actually available and even rarer that impact players, like the ones listed above, are actually traded. That being said, the Chargers should be on the phone looking for offensive line help, a Strong Safety that they actually trust and definitely a Cornerback. According to the rumors, none of those are currently being dangled by any team, but that doesn't mean that offers aren't being made.