Chargers Are Big Winners Of Titans-Rams Trade

San Diego Chargers general manager Tom Telesco should probably send the Tennessee Titans front office an edible arrangement or at least a nice fruit basket or something. With the Titans blockbuster trade of picks with the St. Louis Los Angeles Rams, the Chargers look to be set up perfectly with the third pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

After the trade, the Rams have moved up to the top spot in the draft, they will be followed by the Cleveland Browns at No. 2, and the Chargers at No. 3. With the Rams almost certain to select either Carson Wentz or Jared Goff to be their franchise quarterback at No. 1, and the Browns increasingly likely to select whichever signal-caller the Rams don’t take, San Diego is sitting pretty at No. 3.

Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and Florida State cornerback/safety Jalen Ramsey are widely considered the top players in the draft. The Titans appeared poised to make Tunsil the top pick before trading the selection to the Rams. If both quarterbacks now go in the top two picks, the Chargers will likely have to decide between the draft’s two best players. While the choice will certainly be difficult, that’s one of those “good problems” we hear so much about.

Tunsil fills an obvious need for the Chargers. Pro Football Focus rated San Diego’s offensive line the worst in football in 2015, and it wasn’t particularly close. Tunsil could come in and start off at right tackle as a rookie, allowing King Dunlap to stick on the left side for now, with D.J. Fluker at right guard and Orlando Franklin at left guard. If the Bolts could find a permanent solution at center, they would have the makings of a really nice offensive front.

On the other hand, Ramsey is a dynamic playmaker who could be the next great NFL defensive back. He’s an athletic freak and has the size and strength to make an impact similar to Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor or even Ed Reed. Yeah, that’s lofty praise for a guy who has never played a down of NFL football, but Ramsey undoubtedly has that kind of potential.

The Chargers really can’t lose if they are sitting at No. 3 having to make that choice. They just have to hope everything goes according to plan, that the Browns take a quarterback and that no one trades up to snag Tunsil or Ramsey away from them.

If that all plays out, they should probably get on the phone and send Titans general manager Jon Robinson something nice.