The Los Angeles Chargers had a commendable first season under head coach Jim Harbaugh but came up embarrassingly short in the Wild Card round against the Houston Texans. The Texans walked away victorious 32-12, as Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw four interceptions, a higher amount than he threw the entire regular season.
Herbert’s abysmal performance aside, the defeat made clear how much the Chargers’ offense lacks weapons. Rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey finished the game with an impressive nine receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown, but their second-leading target was tight end Will Dissly, who recorded two receptions for 16 yards.
However, not all blame can be pushed to the weapons, as Herbert had four turnovers of his own. One way to avoid or at least limit those mistakes next postseason is by adding more trusted players on the offense.
Chargers Predicted To Land DK Metcalf in Electrifying Trade
While McConkey did have an 86-yard touchdown against the Texans, the majority of his production comes from short and intermediate routes. Adding the Seattle Seahawks’ deep threat, DK Metcalf, would greatly diversify their WR room.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler spoke with NFL team executives, scouts, and personnel figures, who predict the Chargers to land Metcalf via a blockbuster trade.
“Metcalf is still in his prime at age 27 and is a challenge for opposing defensive coordinators,” Fowler wrote. “But Jaxon Smith-Njigba received more targets than Metcalf among Seattle receivers this season — 8.1 to 7.2 targets per game — and Metcalf, a projected 2026 free agent, likely needs a new contract, which won’t be cheap.”
An NFL coordinator then went on to weigh in on the potential move, telling Fowler, “The Seahawks can still get good value for him, and he could pair with Ladd McConkey for a good inside-out tandem. [Justin] Herbert to Metcalf would be scary. I think [Los Angeles] will be looking to help the quarterback in a big way.”
Los Angeles ranked just below average in Pro Football Network’s Offense+ statistic, coming in at No. 17 for the 2024 campaign. Trading for Metcalf, who recorded 66 receptions for 992 yards and five touchdowns this season, could propel the Chargers into the top 10.
The addition could have a similar effect on Herbert, who slotted at No. 14 in PFN’s QB+ rankings.
Moving on from Metcalf prior to a contract extension is an ideal route for Seattle’s front office.
Food for thought with the DK Metcalf trade rumor Jeremy Fowler floated out there:
In the three seasons Metcalf had with Chargers WR coach Sanjay Lal
-had 1000 yards in each season (2020, 2022-2023)
-24 TDs between those three seasons (5 this past year) pic.twitter.com/sMNRovHSb4— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) January 21, 2025
Their division, the NFC West, is one of the league’s most competitive every season, and the Seahawks don’t have a QB with superstar potential. It could be in their best interest to tank for a season or two, bringing in a rookie QB for veteran Geno Smith to mentor. Not to mention, the Seahawks selected Ohio State standout WR Smith-Njigba with the No. 20 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
It’s no secret how Metcalf will influence whatever organization he is a part of, but there’s no telling just how much he can impact the play of Herbert, McConkey, and LA’s offense.
