The Los Angeles Chargers hold the fifth pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. The team from California is ready for a downtrade – but the offer has to be strong

What is the Los Angeles Chargers’ philosophy heading into the upcoming NFL Draft (April 25-27)? The team from California is currently picking fifth. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

As general manager Joe Hortiz confirmed, the Chargers are open to a donor trade – but an offer that is more than just the fifth pick would have to come through. That’s because the franchise sees itself in a special situation.

“We believe we have the first pick in the draft. I know there are four picks ahead of us. But we feel that way,” Hortiz said. What he means by that is the GM is certain that only quarterbacks will be drafted at the first four positions.

With the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots drafting at the top three positions, a quarterback pick seems realistic to almost certain. Behind them, the Arizona Cardinals are considered a candidate for a possible trade down with the Minnesota Vikings, who are also looking for a new playmaker.

In other words, the Chargers see their pick as the first regular one in which all top prospects apart from the playmaker position are still available. This makes it particularly attractive for all teams that are not looking for a quarterback.

The price should be correspondingly high for the Chargers to consider a trade down. “They have to make it attractive for us to move on from these players,” Hortiz said, referring to the competition: “All that ‘it’s a fair trade or it’s a bust’ stuff, we’re not interested in that,” he made clear.

The Chargers are rebuilding with new head coach Jim Harbaugh, having traded away the team’s two best wide receivers – Mike Williams and Keenan Allen – in the offseason. As things stand, Los Angeles will enter the draft with eight picks. But it could be even more