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San Diego Chargers want two first round picks for Phillip Rivers?

By Cameron La Fontaine

Dec 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) warms up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 19-7. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) warms up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 19-7. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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With quarterback Phillip Rivers in the final year of his contract with the San Diego Chargers, they may be interested in making a trade involving draft picks.

Phillip Rivers turned 33-years old in December, and is currently slated to be with the San Diego Chargers through the 2015 season, but he plans to play out his contract rather than signing an extension with the team before the season starts. This is due to his reservations about the Chargers moving to Los Angeles. But, the Chargers may be looking to trade Rivers instead and try to get a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft.

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San Diego is showing interest in former Oregon quarterback and 2014 Heisman winner Marcus Mariota after he’s been impressive in pre-draft workouts. So, the trade would likely occur between the Chargers and the Tennessee Titans who have the second overall pick. Jameis Winston has been somewhat of a lock to the Buccaneers at No. 1 and the Titans, or another team who trades up, will be looking to grab Mariota at No. 2.

According to Adam Schefter, it’ll most likely take two first round picks in order for San Diego to be willing to let go of Phillip Rivers.

Tennessee could be huge winners in this trade, gaining a quarterback who has been a five-time Pro Bowler in his career with San Diego. While he’s 33, he’s still got plenty left in the tank and could be huge for the Titans who have needed a strong and consistent quarterback like Rivers after they’ve struggled at the position for most of the last decade.

Rivers finished the 2014 season with 4,286 passing yards and now has six 4,000-yard seasons with the team. It was also his fourth season with at least 30 touchdown passes (31). But, the down side to Rivers is that he wasn’t able to get the Chargers in the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

The Titans also have to question if they’re ready to give up two first round picks. It would definitely be less risk to grab Rivers rather than Mariota, considering Rivers is already a dependable quarterback who can perform. But, missing out on a first round pick in 2016 might turn Tennessee off to the trade.

Should they still do it? Absolutely. There’s so much less risk taking Rivers and while Mariota will be very strong in the NFL, he hasn’t been able to prove that like Rivers has in his long career already.

If San Diego is able to make this trade, they should absolutely pull the trigger on it. They could get rid of Rivers who has already said that he is not going to be interested in moving to Los Angeles and wants to get back to his southern roots. He can do that in Tennessee. San Diego clears themselves of a guy who doesn’t have a future with the team, and they have the chance to build with a quarterback who has shown a lot of poise and maturity in his college career as well as in his pre-draft workouts and combine.

This appears to be as win-win as it gets. Maybe Tennessee can negotiate San Diego down to a 2016 second round pick, but even if they can’t, this deal gives them a veteran quarterback who has already proved himself immensely.

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