Chargers must have trade deadline fire sale including Khalil Mack, others after falling to 0-8 in Texans blowout

Chargers must have trade deadline fire sale including Khalil Mack, others after falling to 0-8 in Texans blowout appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here . For the Los Angeles Chargers , simply hoping for a turnaround is no longer a viable strategy. Eight games, eight losses, and another humiliating defeat have exposed a roster that is nowhere near competing with the AFC’s best. Sunday’s 44-22 demolition by the Houston Texans was particularly revealing. The Chargers struggled to protect Justin Herbert and contain CJ Stroud. With the trade deadline arriving November 10, general manager Joe Hortiz must confront an uncomfortable reality: this season is lost. As such, Los Angeles should embrace a full-scale deadline fire sale, starting with Khalil Mack. Fallen apart The loss to Houston laid bare nearly every structural flaw across the roster. The afternoon initially offered a glimmer of hope as Cameron Dicker drilled three field goals to pull Los Angeles within 10-9 midway through the second quarter. But that brief competence proved to be a mirage. Stroud proceeded to carve up a depleted Chargers secondary. He threw five touchdown passes. Herbert eventually connected with Quentin Johnston for a 58-yard touchdown. However, his afternoon ended after he injured a finger on his non-throwing hand . Backup DJ Uiagalelei threw the late touchdown to Derius Davis. Meanwhile, the Chargers surrendered eight sacks and 485 total yards. The defeat dropped Los Angeles to 0-8, leaving Harbaugh’s team searching for answers with its season already slipping away. Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial) Cashing in veteran assets The most obvious trade candidate is Khalil Mack . At 35, the veteran pass rusher remains a respected presence. He has a résumé that would appeal to any contender looking to strengthen its defensive front. He has three sacks through the Chargers’ first eight games. Mack remains capable of providing valuable pressure in a rotational role. He signed a one-year, $18 million fully guaranteed contract to return to Los Angeles in 2026. That means he is scheduled to become a free agent after the season. Keeping him on a winless team offers little competitive benefit when another franchise could use his experience and pass-rushing instincts. There is, however, a complication. Mack publicly reaffirmed his commitment to winning with the Chargers earlier in the season. He said he was still ring-chasing in Los Angeles. That sentiment should not prevent Hortiz from listening to serious offers. Mack does not have a no-trade clause. The Chargers should at least explore what his remaining contract and postseason experience could bring in return. A contender might be willing to surrender a meaningful draft selection for a proven veteran like Mack. Bud Dupree should also be available. The veteran edge defender could offer useful depth to a contender seeking additional pass-rushing options. His departure would open more opportunities for Los Angeles to evaluate its younger defensive personnel. Dalvin Tomlinson is another logical candidate. The veteran defensive tackle signed a one-year deal with the Chargers. He could appeal to teams needing additional size and experience. Neither player needs to be treated as untouchable. If the Chargers can turn short-term veteran contributions into future draft capital, they should seriously consider doing so. Embracing a youth movement A deadline purge should also give Los Angeles a clearer picture of which players belong in its long-term plans. Continuing to devote significant defensive snaps to veterans on short-term contracts makes little sense when the organization needs to evaluate its younger talent. Tuli Tuipulotu and Akheem Mesidor should receive expanded opportunities. The same principle applies to the interior defensive line. Younger contributors need meaningful snaps to demonstrate whether they can become reliable long-term options. The offensive line also demands attention. Herbert has been battered throughout this winless campaign. The Texans game was the clearest warning yet, with Houston recording eight sacks. Los Angeles cannot afford to enter another offseason pretending that its protection problems are merely temporary. Giving younger linemen such as Branson Taylor and Jake Slaughter opportunities to prove themselves would help Hortiz determine where premium draft investments are necessary. Prioritize tomorrow There is no reason for the Chargers to pretend that a miraculous turnaround is around the corner. They should be thinking about how to build a roster capable of protecting Herbert and competing again in 2027. Moving Mack, Dupree, and Tomlinson would be difficult, particularly given their experience and leadership. Sentiment, though, cannot dictate sound roster management. Hortiz must maximize whatever value remains in the team’s veteran assets while giving younger players the opportunity to grow. A fire sale can provide the draft capital and roster clarity needed to begin rebuilding. The Chargers have already lost eight games. They should not lose the opportunity to make something productive out of this season, too. Related: Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh still believes in dreadful offense despite another no-show vs. Texans Related: Chargers QB Justin Herbert could have fractured hand, but he’s not worried about it