ESPN Reports Chargers Rejected Trade Requests for Star Quarterback Justin Herbert as They Picked Tackle on First Day of NFL Draft

In the weeks leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, there were reports that the Los Angeles Chargers received trade requests from two teams – the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings – for their star quarterback Justin Herbert. However, ESPN reported on Thursday that the Chargers ultimately rejected these requests and made it clear that trading Herbert was never an option for them.

Despite receiving these inquiries about a potential trade, the Chargers went on to select Joe Alt, an offensive tackle from Notre Dame and an All-American, with the No. 5 pick in the draft. They also had picks No. 37 and 69 on Day 2 of the draft. On Day 1 of the draft, both the Patriots (who drafted Drake Maye from North Carolina) and Vikings (who chose J.J. McCarthy from Michigan) picked quarterbacks, suggesting a potential need at that position.

One reason why teams may have thought that Herbert might be traded is because of his connection to new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who coached him at Michigan before he became a professional football player. However, as mentioned earlier, Herbert is not currently being traded by the Chargers.

Herbert recently signed a five-year extension worth $262 million that will start in 2025. Despite missing some time due to injury in his fourth season with the team (which cut his campaign short after just 13 games), Herbert has been a standout performer throughout his NFL career so far. He earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first three seasons and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 after he threw for over 4,300 passing yards and nearly 30 passing touchdowns during his rookie campaign alone! Over his four years with Los Angeles, he has averaged over 4,000 passing yards per season while maintaining a passer rating of around 95 percent each year.

In conclusion, despite interest from other teams such as New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings regarding Justin Herbert’s availability for trade during this year’s NFL Draft, Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz made it clear that trading him was never an option for them due to their belief in his importance to their team’s success going forward into future seasons.