Bolts From The Blue
The Chargers need help at two positions that were NOT expected to be both this banged up and underwhelming through the first six weeks of the season. After entering the year with two RB1s and All Pro-level players at both offensive tackle spots, the Chargers are now trotting out their third and fourth-string backs along with their fifth and sixth offensive tackles of the young season.
Due to this dire situation, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell has come up with two trades that he believes the Chargers should make, along with 11 others he wants to see before the league’s deadline next month.
The first of the two involves the Chargers trading a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Browns in exchange for running back Jerome Ford and a 2027 seventh-rounder. Ford is currently being used as Cleveland’s passing down back and currently has just 73 yards (and 20 carries) on the year. Due to the Browns’ drafting of Quinshon Judkins, Ford has seen his production plummet tremendously despite racking up almost 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns over the past two seasons.
“Ford’s due only $1.2 million over the rest of 2025, and he has averaged a respectable 4.4 yards per carry as a pro, often with dismal passing attacks,” says Barnwell. “As a veteran back who can soak up meaningful touches now and complement Hampton after the rookie returns, Ford fits the sort of profile the Chargers would be looking to add via trade. The Browns would need to find another back to help absorb some of the pass-down workload behind Judkins, but the draft picks are worth more to Cleveland than guys who are going to help their 2025 roster.”
With Hampton out indefinitely, adding a cheap option with proven production as a complementary back would be extremely ideal for the Chargers.
As for the second trade, Barnwell proposes that the Chargers send the Giants a 2028 sixth-round pick in exchange for offensive tackle/guard Evan Neal and a 2028 seventh-round pick. Neal is a former top-10 pick in the draft out of Alabama who has simply not found a stride with the Giants. He transitioned to guard this past offseason but that has not gone as well as they hoped and he’s been inactive the entire 2025 season.
“Neal’s owed only $666,667 over the remainder of the season, so he wouldn’t be an expensive option for a team that needs a backup offensive lineman, most likely at tackle. We’re not that far removed from Neal looking like a potential franchise tackle at Alabama, and there should be teams with optimistic scouting reports on him from his college days willing to take something close to a free look at the 25-year-old.”
Neal is still very young by all accounts with plenty of tread left on the tires. Sending a future pick for the chance to turn Neal’s career around and possibly gain a higher draft pick via the compensatory formula is something Joe Hortiz should not overlook.
So, what do you all...
