With the NFL Draft only a week away, we are officially entering the eye of the rumor hurricane.
As we all know, 99% of the rumors we hear from now until the draft will be absolute nonsense.
Having said that, there’s one fascinating rumor that is beginning to pick up a little steam…
“Randomly, something comes out… their draft grade drops… How does that happen?”
Deion tells @FOS_Today that NFL teams have been leaking rumors on prospects they want to draft.pic.twitter.com/IUi4H7dhB9
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 11, 2024
Despite not having much playoff success to this point, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is widely-regarded as one of the best in the entire league.
Herbert has been in many ways dealt a bad hand during the early part of his young career.
Despite being loaded with talent, coaching dysfunction has held down Herbert and the Bolts ever since he was drafted out of Oregon with the #6 overall pick back in 2020.
I got a charger, feel like Justin Herbert 🤟 pic.twitter.com/rLoy5gJs5U
— S✞ (@HeywardSavedMe) April 9, 2024
With new head coach Jim Harbaugh now in charge, it’s safe to say coaching will no longer be an issue.
He may be corky and awkward at times, but if there’s one thing Harbaugh knows how to do better than nearly anyone, it’s coaching a football team at an extremely high level.
Many people assume Herbert will grow by leaps and bounds under Harbaugh’s guidance … But will he end up having the chance to???
lol and Jim Harbaugh wanted to trade Justin Herbert https://t.co/sUC8dgjwhE
— Charlie Sinclair (@cmsinclar) April 11, 2024
We all know how highly Harbaugh thinks of Michigan star quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
The pair were extremely close during their time together in Ann Arbor, which of course ended with a historic undefeated national championship season.
Harbaugh has been extremely clear that he feels McCarthy is undoubtedly the best quarterback in the entire 2024 draft.
Find someone who loves you as much as Jim Harbaugh loves JJ McCarthy. https://t.co/EID2jCJ7On
— Jeff Bannon (@Bannon_Jeff) April 11, 2024
The Chargers own the #5 overall pick in next week’s draft.
Despite his strong feelings for McCarthy, there’s no way Harbaugh could actually draft him, right???
I mean, if there’s one position the Chargers are set at, it’s quarterback.
Fresh off signing Herbert to a monstrous five-year, $262.5 million contract just last year, it has to be assumed that the ultra-talented Herbert’s spot on the team is safe … Or is it?
Is #Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh Right About JJ McCarthy Being The Best QB in this Draft? @LAC_Unleashed
Full Episode —> https://t.co/YsmmQbJBV6 pic.twitter.com/HJGWoQdF3u
— LA Football Network (@LAFBNetwork) April 16, 2024
According to the latest mock draft by Jess Root of Cards Wire, the Chargers will be trading Herbert to the Minnesota Vikings in a blockbuster deal.
In Root’s proposed scenario, Herbert will be sent to Minnesota in exchange for the Vikings #11 overall pick as well as their first-round pick in next year’s draft.
Root predicts the Chargers would then draft McCarthy fifth overall and use the Vikings #11 pick to snag Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga.
Will Jim Harbaugh reunite with JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum on the Chargers through the NFL Draft?
Odds via @DKSportsbook pic.twitter.com/EvODvSZuKj
— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) April 12, 2024
The scenario may be very hard for many to imagine actually happening.
Again, to trade a franchise quarterback the quality of Herbert is extremely risky to say the least – no matter how highly you think of McCarthy.
Having said that, the thought of Herbert with Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson in Minnesota sure is fascinating…
Per Mike Florio of @ProFootballTalk, he doesn’t expect Jim Harbaugh and the #Chargers to do the #Vikings any favors with trading up given they passed on Harbaugh in 2022 👀
“Hell no, that’s the problem for the Vikings.”
🎥: @ProFootballTalk pic.twitter.com/JqFtoDUeDK
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) April 13, 2024
Now, is this a trade proposal that the Vikings should be interested in? … Absolutely!!
As a matter of fact, Root’s proposal would be an all-time steal for Minnesota.
In reality, the Vikings would most likely have to sweeten the pot greatly for the Chargers to even bother picking up the phone.
Vikings trade 3 firsts for Justin Herbert.
— Big T St. Clair (Hillbilly Viking #1) (@Gotrek651St) April 15, 2024
Will this trade happen? … Most likely not.
Again, most of the rumors we’ll be hearing over the next week are either complete BS or just proposals that will never end up getting off the ground.
But crazy things can happen – especially when Jim Harbaugh is involved…
JJ McCarthy is a winner and has shown he can do what the other QBs in this draft class can do despite not being asked to do it a lot at @UMichFootball. NFL execs have told me they love that he spent 3 years in an NFL structure under Jim Harbaugh
Tap in 📺 https://t.co/aIhN5JCk4p pic.twitter.com/TzX16BgaJJ
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 13, 2024
What are your thoughts on Root’s proposal?
What percent chance do you give it of actually happening? … We’ll put the over/under at 0.037%
If you’re Harbaugh and the Chargers, what would you command in return for Herbert???
chargers fans pic.twitter.com/jCDrXrHZ82
— E ♓︎ (@springroll_papi) April 16, 2024