Thomas MartinezNov 4, 2026
Martinez argues the 0-7 Chargers should be sellers/minor buyers at the deadline and suggests three low-cost trade targets: Buccaneers tight end/fullback Ko Kieft, Eagles defensive back Kelee Ringo, and Rams interior offensive lineman Justin Dedich, each for late-round pick swaps.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Thomas Martinez said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromThe Chargers really have no business being buyers at the trade deadline.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- 3 Players Chargers Should Call About Before Trade Deadline to Keep Justin Herbert Alive
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Justin Dedich to move to Los Angeles Chargers“If the Chargers choose not to activate any of their own offensive lineman from injured reserve they could swing a late Day 3 pick swap with the Rams for a lineman”
- 2Kelee Ringo to move to Los Angeles Chargers“Ringo's expiring contract and usage on the field should make for another late-round pick swap possible.”
- 3Ko Kieft to move to Los Angeles Chargers“The Buccaneers have already found Kieft's replacement and the cost should be a simple flip of late round picks to bring a competent blocker into the building for the Chargers.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Dedich to move to Los Angeles Chargers1 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kelee Ringo to move to Los Angeles Chargers2 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Ko Kieft to move to Los Angeles Chargers3 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 3 calls · 3 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
3 checkable claims — 3 trade and signing calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Trade and Signing CallsJustin DedichLos Angeles Chargers
Justin Dedich to move to Los Angeles Chargers
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Trade and Signing CallsKelee RingoLos Angeles Chargers
Kelee Ringo to move to Los Angeles Chargers
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Trade and Signing CallsKo KieftLos Angeles Chargers
Ko Kieft to move to Los Angeles Chargers
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Kevin Wildes · Game Outcome Picks · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Wildes used their upset alert on the winless Chargers to beat the Rams.Greg Auman · Score Predictions · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 21
Auman predicts an all-Los Angeles Super Bowl with the Chargers beating the Rams 24-21.Nick Wright · Game Outcome Picks · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Nick Wright ran through their projected 2025 records for all 16 AFC teams, calling Baltimore a 13-win regular-season juggernaut, Houston a 12-win team with the league's best defense, and going under on the Jets, Bengals, Steelers and Chargers; they also picked the Chiefs' game-by-game schedule to 12-5 and said Buffalo wins the AFC East.Eric Mangini · Game Outcome Picks · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Mangini took the Titans to upset the Texans, and in the chips segment backed the Chargers to upset Denver, the Patriots over the Raiders, and the Rams over the Bills.
More trade and signing calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Patricia Traina · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery.Michael David Smith · Trade and Signing Calls · Keenan Allen · Hit 100
Smith suggests the Colts are likely to grant Josh Downs' trade request given their contract situation and their recent sell-off, and that they could also try to trade Keenan Allen.Noah Compton · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Compton expects the rebuilding Colts to keep dealing veterans before the November 10 deadline, naming Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs and Grover Stewart as the likeliest remaining trade candidates, and believes Indianapolis should and likely will move on from quarterback Daniel Jones, while Shane Steichen keeps starting Jones in the meantime.