The last-place team in the AFC West is trading a player to the first-place team in the AFC West.
The Chargers have traded linebacker Daiyan Henley to the Broncos for a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
For the Broncos, it’s an addition of a linebacker who has started every game but one for the Chargers over the last three seasons, and should be able to step in and contribute immediately in Denver.
For the Chargers, it’s an addition of two draft picks for a winless team that desperately needs to build for the future. Henley is in the final season of his rookie contract as a 2023 third-round pick and might have left the Chargers this offseason anyway. Now the Chargers are getting something for him.
Henley is a defensive captain, and there were reports that the Chargers weren’t looking to trade important players, but realistically, when you’re the worst team in the league, you’re going to trade players for picks if a good offer comes your way.
Some teams prefer not to trade with division rivals, but in this case, it’s a trade that should benefit both teams, so there’s no reason for both teams not to do it. And now Henley will attempt to win the AFC West this season, something he was not going to do in Los Angeles.