The NFL trading deadline is Tuesday afternoon. It is not to be compared with Baseball’s trading deadline at the end of July, or the NHL trading deadline in February.

But the NFL is slowly starting to rethink its ways of dealing players and draft picks.

Time for the Chargers to do the same, as the season slips away, with a chance to start to stockpile extra ‘currency’ for next April’s NFL draft.

History has shown few deals at the trading deadline. The Dallas Cowboys-Minnesota Vikings 11-for-1 deal involving Herschel Walker back in the 80s was something to see. So was the late fall Eric Dickerson-Colts-Rams mid season transaction.

Of recent time, we have seen more player-for-player deals. The Seahawks, Cowboys, Patriots and Eagles have become the franchises unafraid to make trades.

The Chargers season is over. Some of the value they have on the roster they could use as chips to get draft picks to add to the likely top 5-draft choices this team might have in each round next spring.

Sure you’d be moving some popular players, but in some cases, you aren’t keeping certain players, in other cases you’d like to move players who have higher value-lower production contracts. You may take a cap hit in the process, but you admit you made a mistake, and move on. What’s worse, staying with the mistake?.

Eric Weddle has had a rock solid career here, but he won’t be back. His value is dropping, and he doesn’t deserve a pay raise from his 8M deal. Move him to a team that likely would sign him to an extension. Can you say Dallas Cowboys or New England Patriots. Get a 4th round pick that gets bumped to a 3rd when he re-signs.

Donald Butler has never been the same linebacker since his contract extension and injuries. Maybe in a different system he can recapture what he once was. He is not a 5M a year guy here. Make a call and maybe get a 5th round pick..

Danny Woodhead is so good at what he does, but what he does isn’t making much of a difference here. Find an offense that could use his skills and explosiveness and see if there’s an instant 3rd round pick out there.

Yes you’d be auctioning off the rest of the season, but you are still keeping core players like Jason Verrett, Melvin Ingram, Jerry Attaochu, Keenan Allen. You give some younger plays the chance to learn on the job and get them ready for next season.

The tandem of Tom Telesco and John Spanos have failed quarterback Philip Rivers. The drafts have been spotty. Yes there is a Melvin Gordon and others, but of the 17-picks in the Junior Spanos-Tom Terrific era, just 4-are what I’d call impact.

The free-agent signings haven’t paid rich dividends either, haunted by the Derek Cox money giveaway, and the burnt money on Orlando Franklin, amongst others.

Sure some of the younger draft picks may turn out to be talents within the next 3-years, but look at the mileage on Philip Rivers by then.

You can’t stay with this battered roster. Time to pick up currency. Multiple 3rd round picks or extra 4th round choices can be used to move up and grab additional 2nd round picks.

Sure you’re moving popular players, but what does it get you if you stay the course. A 6-win season?

Call Bill Belicheck, Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, and others. Find out what is out there from guys who always seem to make trades and have lots of extra picks in their pocket.

Denver was involved in a deal with San Francisco, as John Elway acquired tight end Vernon Davis.   If the Broncos can be a player at the deadline, why not the Bolts?

Think outside the box, get outside of this mess, quit protecting the integrity of the (2-6) team you put together..

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