“Never Got One Call”: After Vikings’ Draft Night Move for J.J. McCarthy, Chargers GM Joe Hortiz Breaks Silence on Justin Herbert Trade Rumors

The 2024 NFL Draft concluded in late April, putting an end to the persistent rumors of J.J. McCarthy joining the Los Angeles Chargers. Many believed the Chargers would trade their star quarterback, Justin Herbert, so their new coach Jim Harbaugh could reunite with McCarthy – his championship-winning college QB.  However, the Chargers surprised everyone by drafting names like Joe Alt and Ladd McConkey, leaving no room for a quarterback.

Likewise, J.J. McCarthy went on to be snapped up by the Minnesota Vikings as their 10th pick in 1st round. The Chargers organization kept quiet about their surprising draft strategy, leaving fans in the dark. Now, days after the draft, the team’s general manager Joe Hortiz has finally broken his silence, ready to address the “Justin Herbert trade rumor.”

Joe Hortiz shuts down Justin Herbert trade rumors

Los Angeles Chargers GM Joe Hortiz recently appeared on the Pat McAfee show to discuss various team-related topics. One burning question was whether there were any serious discussions about trading star quarterback Justin Herbert to draft J.J. McCarthy. Hortiz was quick enough to deny these rumors as he said, “I never got one call about it. I had some loose questions at the Combine, but they were quickly shut down.” He went on to confirm that, “There was no discussions about us ever trading Justin Herbert or teams really being interested they know what we have…they know where we stood so there was no real questions”

He further clarified, “I don’t know where they [rumors] are coming from. They’re not coming from the Chargers organization because none of us got calls.” Hortiz’s words indicate there was never any real consideration of trading their quarterback, leaving the origin of the rumors a mystery.

Justin Herbert is an untouchable asset for the Chargers

While the origin of the Justin Herbert trade rumors remains a mystery, it’s easy to see why they seemed unlikely. The Chargers faced salary cap issues soon after the entry of head coach Jim Harbaugh. As a financial move, they traded Keenan Allen which was faced with quite some backlash from fans. Now, trading off a top-tier quarterback like Justin Herbert would have been even more catastrophic. 

Herbert is an asset for the Chargers as many analysts easily rank him in the top five passers. He also holds the NFL records for the most passing yards in a quarterback’s first two and three seasons, and the most consecutive 4,000-yard seasons to start a career. Apart from his solid stats, Herbert’s massive $265.5 million contract further solidified his place on the roster. While Harbaugh’s endorsement for J.J. McCarthy hinted at a possible reunion, the reality didn’t guarantee a spot on the Chargers.

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