The Los Angeles Chargers have rounded out their roster nicely about a month out from the NFL draft and while some more moves could be made, the team likely has a good idea of what positions it will be looking to fill in the draft.
Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus recently took a look at the roster of each of the 32 NFL teams, coming up with the best potential trade asset for each. Looking at the strength of the Chargers’ offensive line, he feels the team could part with Zion Johnson and still have a strong unit.
‘The Chargers won’t be ready to part with Quentin Johnston just yet, although the former first-rounder might be on thin ice going into Year 3. That leaves Johnson as a different marquee player who might be close to an exit.
Los Angeles signed guard Mekhi Becton and center Andre James in free agency, while Bradley Bozeman and Trey Pipkins are each back in the fold. Johnson’s 62.5 PFF overall grade leads Chargers guards since 2023, but his fifth-year option will probably get declined — and a trade may ensue”, wrote Locker.
Johnson was the Chargers’ first-round pick in 2022 and he has made 49 starts for the team since. The Chargers have a chance to have the best offensive line in football next season following the huge signing of Mekhi Becton, but there is no reason to create a weak spot by trading Johnson.
Some would say that there already is a weak spot at the center position with Bozeman there, making the idea of trading Johnson even worse. A starting offensive line consisting of Rashawn Slater, Johnson, Bozeman, Becton and Joe Alt has a chance to be quite effective.
But the Chargers could trade one of their offensive linemen without impacting that unit… Trey Pipkins.
Locker mentioned Pipkins in his analysis but if the Chargers are going to trade an offensive lineman, he should be the choice. There could be plenty of interest from around the league as well.
Pipkins is an offensive tackle but was forced to move inside last season after the Chargers chose Alt in the first round. He struggled a bit in his new spot but a new team could move him back outside.
Pipkins, a third-round pick in 2019, has 56 career starts under his belt. He has great size at 6-foot-6 and he is still under 30 years old. A player with that much experience, good athleticism, and with several years potentially still in front of him, could draw a good return in terms of trade value.
Trey Pipkins:
• $9.25M cap hit (19th amongst guards)
• Better in zone than he is in gap (in gap he was amongst the worst in the league)
• Amongst the league’s worst guards in pass proSo he’s not a scheme fit & he’s a backup being paid like a starter.
Why is he still there?
— Tyler Weiss (@TylerMWeiss_) March 19, 2025
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The Chargers could keep Pipkins for their swing tackle, but they also have Jamaree Salyer who is more than capable of filling in at guard if Johnson falters. With starting tackles as strong as Slater and Alt, the Chargers may just need a depth player for that swing tackle spot, which could even be Tyler McClellan, who is already on the roster. Pipkins seems like the odd man out.
A team looking to improve its offensive tackle position or just add a better swing tackle could easily cough up a draft pick in exchange for the veteran lineman.
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