Kansas City Chiefs: Stealing one player from every AFC West rival
By Jacob Milham
Los Angeles Chargers: QB Justin Herbert
Hear me out. The Chiefs bringing quarterback Justin Herbert to Kansas City would not be to replace Patrick Mahomes but to cripple the Chargers. Most teams would be in hot water if they lost their starting quarterback, but things look very dire for the Chargers without Herbert. He is in the AFC's second quarterback tier, trailing Mahomes and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Herbert had a career year last season, setting career highs with 5,026 passing yards and 67.7% completion. All that production contributed to a top-five passing attack, but not a top-10 scoring offense either. He had a career-low 26 passing touchdowns last season, a sharp drop from 38 in 2022.
Herbert is at a major career junction. The sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is not a bust by any means, but he is at risk of being good, not great. Herbert has some areas that require improvement. He ranked 25th in yards per attempt, 15th in red-zone completion percentage, 25th in deep-ball accuracy rating, and 28th in clean pocket accuracy rating. All of that portrays a player who relies on checkdowns and manages to connect on a few deeper passes, but the numbers suggest more of a game manager rather than an elite passer.
Still, Herbert has the arm that keeps the Chargers' offense moving. The tools around him, like running back Austin Ekler and wide receiver Keenan Allen, cannot carry an offensive unit on their own. If Herbert were not there, the Chargers would a weaker opponent for the Chiefs.
Other options: LT Rashawn Slater, S Derwin James