Chargers 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston is having yet another atrocious offseason and Los Angeles could trade him before he even enters his second season with the team. Selected ahead of notable players like Zay Flowers, Jordan Addison, and Tank Dell, Johnston failed to justify his draft capital during his first year in the league. Overall, the TCU product finished his inaugural season with just 38 receptions for 431 yards and two touchdowns on 67 targets and was one of the league’s least-efficient receivers.
Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco decided to bring Quentin Johnston to Los Angeles, and both men are no longer affiliated with the organization. While a lot can happen between now and the start of the regular season, early reports indicate that the former first-round pick isn’t even a top-three option on the worst depth chart in football.
According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, Johnston is currently buried on the depth chart behind second-round rookie Ladd McConkey and journeymen wideouts Joshua Palmer and DJ Chark. Quentin Johnston could use a change of scenery, and the Chargers can save $1.39 million in cap space with a trade. If anyone sends a conditional seventh-round pick for his services, it will probably be the Panthers or Saints.
Panthers, Saints Could Try And Trade For Quentin Johnston
The Carolina Panthers entered the offseason with limited resources but did their best to surround 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young with as much talent as physically possible. The team spent big on the interior offensive line, traded for Diontae Johnson, and moved up to select wide receiver Xavier Legette in the first round. While first-year head coach Dave Canales added plenty of talent to this roster, there is still room for improvement.
Xavier Legette has a high ceiling but a remarkably low floor. The South Carolina product needed five years to eclipse 200 receiving yards at the collegiate level, so he might need some time to adjust to life in the NFL. Terrace Marshall is not an NFL-caliber player and Jonathan Mingo had a remarkably underwhelming rookie season. A Quentin Johnston trade won’t singlehandedly save this wide receiver room, but the former first-round pick could fight for a depth spot in this offense.
Cash-Strapped Saints Buying Low
The New Orleans Saints once again find themselves in NFL purgatory. Their endless contract restructures ensure they’ll never bottom out but also keep them from spending big on top free agents and building reliable depth throughout the roster. With this in mind, the Saints could take a low-cost, medium-reward gamble with a Quentin Johnston trade.
New Orleans has two reliable receivers in Chris Olave and the newly-signed Rashid Shaheed. This could be enough for some quarterbacks, but they won’t be able to carry an offense led by Derek Carr behind an abysmal offensive line. With Ryan Ramczyk sidelined, the Saints have first-round rookie Taliese Fuaga and the underwhelming Trevor Penning set to hold down the tackle spots. With no reliable tackles available, the Saints could pivot and see if a Quentin Johnston trade could make life easier for Carr. The 6′-4″, 215-pound wideout has the raw talent to win in contested situations, which could come in handy if Carr needs to get the ball out early against oncoming pressure.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
