Chargers Still Searching for Answers at Edge Rusher — Could a Surprising Trade Be the Solution?
For a team that won 11 games and reached the playoffs last season, the Los Angeles Chargers entered the 2025 offseason with more questions than most would expect. One of the most pressing? A thinning pass rush.
The departure of longtime star Joey Bosa left a sizable hole in the Chargers’ front seven. While Los Angeles re-signed veteran Khalil Mack and used a fourth-round draft pick on South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard, neither move fully resolves the uncertainty surrounding the team’s edge presence heading into the fall.
Mack, now 34, managed just six sacks last season, raising concerns that age and wear may be catching up with him. Kennard, while promising, remains unproven at the professional level. Tuli Tuipulotu’s breakout 2024 season (8.5 sacks) provides optimism, but it’s clear the Chargers could benefit from another high-level pass rusher.
Enter the idea — however improbable — of acquiring John Franklin-Myers from the division rival Denver Broncos.
A Rare but Logical Fit?
The proposal, floated by Brandon Austin of Pro Football Network, involves the Chargers pursuing a trade for Franklin-Myers, who is entering the final year of his contract with Denver. While trades within the same division are exceedingly rare, Austin argues the move makes football sense for both sides.
“John Franklin-Myers fills a major need for Los Angeles,” Austin wrote. “The Broncos could afford to lose him, especially with looming decisions on Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto, both of whom are set to hit free agency in 2026.”
Franklin-Myers is coming off a strong debut season in Denver, tallying 40 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and a career-high seven sacks. Since 2020, his 14.4% pressure rate ranks 13th among defenders with at least 1,000 pass-rushing snaps — elite company by any measure. Given that performance, he’s become a regular fixture in trade speculation this offseason.
And yet, the roadblock is obvious: Would Denver really trade a productive pass rusher to a division rival?
Broncos’ Defensive Line Dilemma
The Broncos are loaded up front, boasting a defensive line that racked up 63 sacks in 2024 — third-most in the NFL. But that depth brings a problem of its own. With Franklin-Myers, Allen, and Bonitto all slated for free agency after 2025, Denver may soon be forced to let one walk — or trade them preemptively for future assets.
Some around the league believe Franklin-Myers is the odd man out, particularly after the Broncos used a Day 2 draft pick on LSU edge rusher Sai’vion Jones, a player with a similar profile and upside. Still, many believe it would be foolish for Denver to strengthen a divisional opponent in the process.
“This is a marvelously silly idea,” one skeptical analyst said. “Denver would be better off keeping Franklin-Myers for 2025 and letting him walk in free agency than dealing him to a direct competitor like the Chargers.”
Chargers Need Help — But Will They Get It?
With Bosa gone, Mack aging, and Kennard a project, the Chargers are one piece short of a truly fearsome pass rush. Trading for a veteran like Franklin-Myers could elevate their defense into top-tier territory — especially under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, both of whom value a relentless front.
While a deal with the Broncos remains highly unlikely, Los Angeles may need to explore creative solutions — whether it’s a bold trade, a savvy free-agent signing, or betting big on Tuipulotu and Kennard to step up.
For now, the edge remains one of the few glaring holes on a team with postseason aspirations — and limited time to fill it.
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