The San Diego Chargers may consider a Philip Rivers trade this offseason if the team wants to move up to take Marcus Mariota in the NFL draft and the Tennessee Titans could be interested in making a move for Rivers over trading with the NY Jets or Cleveland Browns and this comes as Rivers has started workouts with the team.
Rivers has been mentioned in trade talk all offseason, as he is heading into the final year of his contract. According to Pro Football Talk, the Chargers are interested in Mariota and after working him out earlier in the month, they may trade up to get him. The Tennessee Titans have the number two overall pick and that is looked at as the key to Mariota, as the Buccaneers likely will take Jameis Winston. The Chargers pick at number 17 overall in the first round.
The Chargers reportedly want "multiple" first round picks for trading Rivers, but if the number two pick is involved, it could change the value of things. Getting Mariota could be worth it if the team sees him as a franchise quarterback and this comes as Rivers' future in San Diego is not secure. Rivers has made comments about not wanting to move to Los Angeles and that could affect things as well.
Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego has written extensively about Rivers and the trade situation and he thinks that the Chargers should go through with the deal. Acee writes that the Titans have a number of options with teams interested in a trade for the number two pick, but that the Chargers have the best QB to offer and that could put them over the top. The talk has not extended to Rivers and the Chargers though, as the team has started offseason workouts.
According to Pro Football Talk, U-T San Diego reports that Rivers arrived at voluntary workouts early and that he is in attendance along with Danny Woodhead and King Dunlap. Both players addressed the rumors when asked and both said that Rivers is their leader. Rivers is a target for the Titans, as the team may end up trading the pick and they desperately need a quarterback. The team has the cap space to make a move and Rivers also has a connection with head coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Rivers played under Whisenhunt in San Diego when he was the offensive coordinator for the Chargers in 2013 and he had one of his best seasons. Rivers set a career high in completion percentage and was near 70 percent and he also had his second best total in touchdown passes for his career. That season Rivers threw for 4478 yards with 32 TDs and 11 picks, all of which were improvements form the previous season.
The Jets and Browns are also interested in Mariota and they are in decent position to make moves. The Jets have the number six pick and could package that in a deal to move up to get Mariota. Cleveland is the best situated, as they have two first round picks this year and the most selections of any team in the draft.
