The Los Angeles Chargers have generally been lauded for the way they handled the NFL draft, and even if some wonder if they took a running back a bit too early, they have mostly been praised for their work in the draft overall.
But did the Chargers miss an opportunity to pull off a big trade?
Jason Reed of Bolt Beat thinks so, noting that Los Angeles probably could have swung a trade with the New York Giants, who traded back into the first round to select quarterback Jaxson Dart with the 25th overall pick (the Chargers were at No. 22, where they took Omarion Hampton).
"The cost for trading up to the No. 22 pick would have been the same as trading up to the No. 25 pick," Reed wrote. "Theoretically, the price of the No. 22 pick is higher but the Giants already sent enough in the trade to say that it would have been a fair price for the Chargers."
Los Angeles would have moved down to No. 34 in this scenario, which may have taken the Bolts out of the running for Hampton. However, Reed doesn't necessarily think that would have been a bad thing.
"As great as Hampton is, you could make the case that [TreVeyon] Henderson would have been an even better fit next to Najee Harris because of his impact in the passing game," Reed wrote. "Either way, the Chargers would have gotten a running back who could be just as impactful as Hampton will be in our real reality."
In the end, this is a moot point. Los Angeles didn't make a trade, and it seemed perfectly content to select Hampton. And who knows? Perhaps the Chargers' asking price for the 22nd pick was too lofty for the Giants.
But these are always dun discussions to have in the wake of the draft.
Nov 11, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton (28) with the ball in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
