John Harbaugh can help Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers replace Odafe Oweh
Despite having an ample quantity of wage cap house to work with heading into free company, the Los Angeles Chargers haven’t exactly made the impact many thought they might.
Not together with middle Tyler Biadasz, whom they were able to sign simply forward of the authorized tampering interval as the Washington Commanders had already launched him, the Bolts have solely added a handful of exterior free brokers, these being blocking tight finish Charlie Kolar, offensive lineman Cole Strange, defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, working again/return specialist Keaton Mitchell, and fullback Alec Ingold. Not precisely the most high-profile listing, proper?
Truth be instructed, versus the gamers the Chargers introduced in, rather more consideration was given to a participant they missed out on, that participant, after all, being Odafe Oweh, who finally signed a four-year, $100 million deal with the aforementioned Commanders. Oweh clearly wasn’t with Los Angeles lengthy, however he undoubtedly made an impression, tallying 7.5 sacks in a dozen regular-season video games and then setting a franchise playoff report with three sacks and two pressured fumbles in the Bolts’ wild-card loss to the New England Patriots.
But what’s accomplished is completed, and Jim Harbaugh now has to hope that hole can be stuffed in the close to future. There are nonetheless some gamers out there in free company, and the Chargers can clearly additionally go in search of help in subsequent month’s draft. The third possibility is to make a commerce, and one name that would conceivably be made is to the New York Giants, who simply occur to have a brand new head coach in none apart from John Harbaugh, with the goal of that decision being to inquire about the availability of Kayvon Thibodeaux.
A Chargers-Giants commerce for Kayvon Thibodeaux is not the worst concept in the world
NFL Senior Editor Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut just lately compiled a listing of 5 commerce eventualities that would doubtlessly play out, and the fourth entry on that listing was a deal between the Bolts and Giants that might ship Thibodeaux to Los Angeles, with veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman and a fourth-round choose (No. 123 general) in subsequent month’s draft going to New York.
“The Los Angeles Chargers didn’t re-sign Odafe Oweh because the asking price just got too high,” Johnson wrote. “What Oweh’s success playing opposite Khalil Mack showed is how great of a landing spot this can be for another edge rusher. Acquiring Maxx Crosby is off the table, but Los Angeles absolutely can pull off a trade for another former first-round pick at edge who hasn’t quite lived up to expectations.
“For the New York Giants, this is likely to be round the very best return they might get for one season of Kayvon Thibodeaux. Acquiring Denzel Perryman provides New York extra depth at off-ball linebacker and the entrance workplace may discover a position participant with the further fourth-round choose in the 2026 NFL Draft. This transfer will get Thibodeaux a much-needed change of surroundings, with the Harbaugh brothers serving to each other out.”
It certainly isn’t the worst proposal in the world.
It’s true that Thibodeaux hasn’t exactly lived up to the status of being the fifth overall pick of the 2022 draft, but it’s not as if the Oregon alum has been an absolute bust either. Injuries have forced him to miss a dozen games over the past two years, which obviously isn’t the greatest selling point, but when he was fully healthy and appeared in all 17 regular-season contests in 2023, he racked up 11.5 sacks.
Even if the 25-year-old isn’t at his best getting to the quarterback, he can still help the Chargers against opposing ground attacks, as he’s typically been strong against the run throughout his young career. This past season, while he only appeared in 10 games, his 80.7 run-defense grade ranked seventh among 115 eligible edge defenders.
Thibodeaux is a tad costly, as his fifth-year possibility places his cap quantity at $14.751 million in 2026, however the Chargers can simply afford that in the event that they select to go on this path. Losing some linebacker depth in Perryman would harm, as he would quit a fourth-round choose, however this is likely to be of venture price taking.
