The Los Angeles Chargers are off to a miserable start in 2026, and already the rumor mill is churning. Justin Herbert, the franchise quarterback who signed a massive extension, has looked shaky, and speculation about his future is heating up. But is it realistic to think the Chargers would actually part with their star signal-caller?
Herbert is under contract through 2029, but his performance this season has been uncharacteristically poor. Through three games, he's completed just 59.1% of his passes for 627 yards, with three touchdowns and four interceptions. Those numbers are career lows across the board, and the Chargers' offense has sputtered as a result. While there's no indication the front office is ready to pull the trigger on a trade, FS1's Nick Wright believes the New York Jets could make an offer that's too good to refuse.
Speaking on his show, Wright laid out a scenario where the Jets, armed with a treasure trove of draft capital, could entice the Chargers with an unprecedented package. "It's absolutely on the board that the Jets have three Top 12 picks – their own first-round pick, the Colts' first-round pick from the Sauce Gardner trade, and they get to pick Dallas's first or Green Bay's first, which Green Bay owes Dallas for Micah," Wright said. "Do I expect at least two of those three teams to be really bad? Yes. If this Chargers' year goes terrible, if the Jets call up the Chargers and say, 'We will give you, not future picks, three picks you can use right now.' And if you're the Jets, you're not like, 'Hey, we're not crippling our ability to compete with Herbert in the future because we're not trading any future year's draft picks.'"
That's a bold proposal, but it raises a valid question: should the Chargers even entertain the idea? Herbert is only 28, and he's proven he can play elite football. This season's struggles might be more about the supporting cast than the quarterback himself. The offensive line has been shaky, and the receiving corps lacks depth. Trading away a franchise quarterback for picks would be a massive gamble, especially when you've already invested so much in him.
On the other hand, the Jets' offer would give the Chargers an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild quickly. Three top-12 picks in a single draft could transform a roster overnight. It's the kind of haul that rarely comes along, and it might be tempting for a front office that's under pressure to win now.
But here's the thing: three bad weeks shouldn't erase years of evidence that Herbert is a top-tier quarterback. He's led the Chargers to the playoffs and posted gaudy numbers throughout his career. The recent call-up of his brother might not change the offense, but it shows the team is trying to find any spark. And with a tough matchup against the Bills looming, fans are already worried about Herbert's safety behind a reshuffled line.
Still, Wright's proposal isn't entirely crazy. The Jets have the assets, and if the Chargers continue to spiral, the pressure to make a bold move will only grow. But trading a quarterback of Herbert's caliber is a franchise-defining decision, one that shouldn't be made in the heat of a bad season.
For now, it's all speculation. But if the Chargers' slide continues, don't be surprised to hear more chatter about a potential blockbuster. After all, the Giants just made a bold move for a young quarterback, showing that anything can happen in the NFL.
