Pickin’ Bolts: Chargers’ Draft Day Trade Chances Diminishing?

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Credit: UT San Diego
Credit: UT San Diego

I’ve been saying for quite a while that the Chargers should and possibly will trade out of their #3 overall draft position to acquire more picks. However it is becoming increasingly likely that the Tennessee Titans are going to trade out of their spot (#1 overall). And despite the RG3 signing, virtually every draft expert still expects Cleveland to take a QB at #2.

So what does that mean for Chargers’ potential draft day dealings? There are a few possibilities. Let’s take a look:

One possibility is that Cleveland, having locked onto 1 particular QB doesn’t want to take the 2nd guy. So they trade up from #2 to #1. If that happens Tennessee would take either OT Laremy Tunsil or CB/S Jalen Ramsey at #2 and teams still in the market for one of the top 2 QBs could trade up with San Diego. Keep in mind, if the Titans and Browns swap first round picks, Tennessee could still trade back a second time.

A second option, and probably more likely option, is that teams are so in love with Ramsey’s potential (or Tunsil, but that’s not as likely) they trade up to take him after QBs go 1-2.

A third option, and probably the least likely scenario, is that even if Jared Goff and Carson Wentz go 1-2 (in whatever order), Paxton Lynch has enough suitors that he has impressed that teams want to trade up for him making QBs go 1-2-3.

The statistical likelihood of a Chargers round 1 trade however, is, as I said, diminishing. Wentz and Goff each have their backers – I’ve been a Wentz backer for some time now, but I’m switching over to Goff, I think Goff has had to make tougher decisions under more pressure and I think that decision-making will be the difference maker between the two – but they are so closely rated the smart thing for Cleveland to do is not squander draft picks in a trade…save the picks and take whichever QB is left at #2.

On the positive side of the ledger for San Diego though, while this is a QB-driven league, neither of the top 2 QBs are the highest rated players in the draft. And since the Chargers already have their QB they’ll be in position to draft the best player in the draft at #3 – either Ramsey or Tunsil.

Really, no matter what happens (unless San Diego blows the pick and whomever they draft becomes a bust), San Diego is in position to be a big winner in this draft. Either they trade back and get extra picks or they stand pat and get 1 of the 2 best players in the draft.

Thanks for reading and please be sure to follow me on Twitter: @PickinBolts.

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