The Los Angeles Chargers trimmed their roster down to the initial 53 but clearly had tough decisions to make amid active trade talks and roster manipulation moves. The Chargers are not done making moves and will continuously adjust and tinker with the back end of the roster.
Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz pulled off two cutdown-day trades during an active trade day around the NFL. The Chargers sent 2026 undrafted free agent cornerback Avery Smith to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Additionally, they traded 2025 undrafted free agent TeRah Edwads to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick. Let's examine the trades and what we conclusions we draw and wrap up with an updated 2027 draft order.
Following cutdown day, it is believed that the more players a team is forced to cut that end up being claimed is indicative of the health and depth of the roster. Counter to the number of players who are claimed is how many players who are traded that may not have made the initial 53 or been on the very back end of the roster.
If a team gives up draft compensation, it is a clear indication that they do not want to risk that player subjected to waivers. The Chargers having two players that other teams were not willing to risk hitting the waiver wire is a strong indication of the health and depth of the roster.
Chargers play-by-play announcer and host of the Chargers Weekly podcast Matt "Money" Smith stated on his other podcast on the BLEAV network that he was made aware that the Chargers had trade discussions with other teams on four of their offensive lineman before cutdowns. There were offensive line trades and movement all over the NFL and ultimately, the Chargers did not want to part with any of their offensive line depth and protected all of them on the initial 53 man roster.
The Chargers sent undrafted free agent Avery Smith to the Seattle Seahawks in what is most likely a perfectly balanced trade that benefits all parties involved. Smith would have been buried on the depth chart had he made the 53-man roster in Los Angeles. Smith was a coveted undrafted free agent following the draft and the Seahawks, who run the same defense under head coach Mike MacDonald, benefited from extensive film on Smith in essentially the same defense.
Smith now gets to play in an elite defense as opposed to being exposed to teams high on the waiver wire list. Seattle makes sure to land a capable and fearless young player as they navigate multiple cornerback questions on their roster. The Chargers get compensation for an undrafted free agent in the upcoming draft class. A truly good deal for everyone.
The Chargers sent defensive tackle TeRah Edwards to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick. Edwards was on the roster bubble and Carolina, in need of defensive linemen, was not going to hope he fell to them on the waiver wire, especially after his preseason performance against the Houston Texans .
The trade is another win for all parties involved. The Panthers give up a future late-round pick to shore up their defensive line. Edwards lands on an NFL roster after grinding and improving for a season on the Chargers practice squad and through a second training camp. The Chargers get draft compensation for a former undrafted free agent whom they helped develop but would have been buried on the depth chart had he made the 53-man roster.
The Chargers have fully restocked their draft picks for the 2027 draft with the Avery Smith trade to the Seahawks. They currently have the following picks:
Rounds 1-5: Their original picks
Round 6: Seahawks from Avery Smith trade
Round 7: Rams via Ravens from Odafe Oweh / Alohi Gilman trade
The Chargers may also have additional compensatory picks coming from losing Odafe Oweh and potentially Zion Johnson .
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as Winners and Losers From Multiple Chargers Cutdown Day Trades and Updated Draft Picks .
