Many anticipated the Los Angeles Chargers would make a significant splash in free agency, given their substantial salary cap flexibility, but their activity has been less impactful than expected.
Excluding center Tyler Biadasz, secured before the legal tampering period after his release from the Washington Commanders, the Bolts’ list of external free-agent acquisitions is rather modest. Their additions include blocking tight end Charlie Kolar, offensive lineman Cole Strange, defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, running back/return specialist Keaton Mitchell, and fullback Alec Ingold—hardly a collection of marquee names.
Frankly, the player the Chargers *failed* to sign garnered significantly more attention than those they acquired: Odafe Oweh. He ultimately secured a four-year, $100 million deal with the aforementioned Commanders. Although his time in Los Angeles was brief, Oweh undeniably left his mark, recording 7.5 sacks in twelve regular-season appearances and subsequently setting a franchise playoff record with three sacks and two forced fumbles during the Bolts’ wild-card defeat to the New England Patriots.
However, what’s past is past, and Jim Harbaugh must now focus on addressing that void in the near future. While free agency still offers some talent, the Chargers can also seek solutions in the upcoming draft. A third avenue is a trade, and a conceivable outreach could be made to the New York Giants, now led by Jim’s brother, John Harbaugh, to inquire about Kayvon Thibodeaux’s availability.
A Chargers-Giants Trade for Kayvon Thibodeaux: A Plausible Solution
Matt Johnson, NFL Senior Editor at Sportsnaut, recently outlined five potential trade scenarios, with the fourth proposal involving a deal between the Bolts and Giants. This hypothetical trade would send Thibodeaux to Los Angeles, while veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman and a fourth-round pick (123rd overall) in the upcoming draft would head to New York.
“The Los Angeles Chargers opted not to re-sign Odafe Oweh as his asking price became prohibitive,” Johnson noted. “Oweh’s impressive performance alongside Khalil Mack highlighted this as an excellent destination for another edge rusher. While acquiring Maxx Crosby is unfeasible, Los Angeles can certainly orchestrate a trade for another former first-round edge talent who has yet to fully realize his potential.
“For the New York Giants, this could represent the best possible compensation they might receive for one season of Kayvon Thibodeaux. Bringing in Denzel Perryman would enhance New York’s off-ball linebacker depth, and the front office could identify a solid rotational player with the extra fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This move offers Thibodeaux a much-needed fresh start, and coincidentally, sees the Harbaugh brothers assisting each other.”
This proposal, by all accounts, holds considerable merit.
While Thibodeaux hasn’t entirely fulfilled the expectations of being the fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft, he is far from being a complete bust. Injuries have unfortunately kept him off the field for twelve games over the past two years, which isn’t an ideal statistic; however, in a fully healthy 2023 season, he played all 17 regular-season contests and impressively recorded 11.5 sacks.
Even if the 25-year-old isn’t consistently elite in pass-rushing, he remains a valuable asset to the Chargers against opposing ground games, having demonstrated strong run-defense throughout his early career. Last season, despite only participating in 10 games, his 80.7 run-defense grade placed him seventh among 115 qualified edge defenders.
Thibodeaux does come with a notable price tag; his fifth-year option projects his 2026 cap hit at $14.751 million, a figure the Chargers could comfortably manage if they opt for this move. While sacrificing some linebacker depth with Perryman and relinquishing a fourth-round pick would be drawbacks, this strategic gamble could prove to be a worthwhile investment.