Chargers general manager Tom Telesco doesn’t do it often, but he’s not afraid to make trades on draft day.
In 2013, the Bolts traded the No. 45 overall selection in the second round and a fourth-rounder to the Cardinals to move up seven spots and picked linebacker Manti Te’o at No. 38.
In 2014, Telesco traded the No. 57 overall selection in the second round and a fourth-rounder to the Dolphins to move up seven spots to select edge rusher Jeremiah Attaochu at No. 50.
In 2015, the Chargers traded the No. 17 overall pick, a fourth-rounder and a fifth-rounder in 2016 to the 49ers to move up two spots, where they ended up taking running Melvin Gordon at No. 15.
Two years ago, Los Angeles sent its 2020 second-round pick (No. 37) and a third-round pick (No. 71) to the Patriots in exchange for the No. 23 selection to take linebacker Kenneth Murray.
If L.A. is looking to make a trade in this year’s draft, it’s important to know the value of each pick and what they would have to give up to get or vice versa.
Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson came up with a trade value chart to give each pick in the draft a point value, which helped determine how much the other team should get in return.
But in 2018, Rich Hill of Pat’s Pulpit used some information from Patriots Bill Belichick to create a trade value chart that more accurately reflects what the NFL uses today.
Below is a chart of the value of every pick in this year’s draft:
Here are the values of every Chargers pick in the draft:
- Round 1 (17): 296 points
- Round 3 (79): 57 points
- Round 4 (123): 24 points
- Round 5 (160): 10 points
- Round 6 (195): 5 points
- Round 6 (214): 3 points
- Round 7 (236): 2 points
- Round 7 (254): 1 point
- Round 7 (255): 1 point
- Round 7 (260): 1 point
Here are a couple of reasonable trades that Los Angeles could look to make.
***Compensation from next year’s draft might be required when looking at trades from past drafts.
Chargers receive: No. 9 from SEA (Acquire CB Derek Stingley Jr.)
Seahawks receive: No. 17, No. 79 (3rd), Future 1st or 2nd-round pick
If a team happens to be looking to trade up with the Chargers, here is an example of what they’d have to give up.
Chargers receive: No. 20 from PIT (Acquire OL Zion Johnson), No. 84 (3rd)
Steelers receive: No. 17, No. 123 (4th)
Chargers receive: No. 32 from DET (Acquire EDGE Arnold Ebiketie), No. 34 (2nd), Future Pick***
Lions receive: No. 17, No. 79 (3rd), No. 195 (6th)
