Quentin Johnston has always been a player whose highlights leap off the screen. The 6-foot-3-inch receiver excels at winning 50/50 balls, can break off long plays with his 4.49 speed, and shows flashes that draw comparisons to Pro Bowlers like Tee Higgins and Mike Evans when he’s at his best.
However, Johnston has yet to produce at a high level in his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. He struggles to separate from defensive backs. When he does, he’s often plagued by drops.
With the Chargers recently signing wide receiver Keenan Allen to a one-year, $8.52 million deal, Johnston’s position on the roster is less secure. That’s why one NFL insider thinks the team might be shopping him.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently proposed a three-team trade that would send Johnston to the New York Giants in exchange for another former first-round pick: tackle Evan Neal. It’s a compelling deal that could make sense for all teams involved. Here are the full details of the mock trade:
- Chargers get: OL Evan Neal, 2026 fifth-round pick (from Cardinals)
- Cardinals get: WR Quentin Johnston
- Giants get: 2027 seventh-round pick (from Chargers)
Giving up on the Former First-Round Pick
Johnston was the No. 21 overall pick and the second wide receiver taken in the 2023 NFL draft. It wasn’t the most stacked wide receiver draft we’ve seen compared to recent years, but it still yielded multiple Pro Bowlers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was drafted one spot ahead of Johnston. Some notable pass catchers Johnston was taken ahead of include: Zay Flowers, Rashee Rice, and Puka Nacua. If they could redo it, the Chargers would likely prefer any of those names on the roster instead of Johnston.
Barnwell broke down the Chargers’ frustrations with Johnston and his diminishing role in the 2025 offense.
“Johnston (concussion) also has been sidelined during the preseason,” he wrote. “But even before the injury, there were indications the Chargers weren’t guaranteeing the 2023 first-round pick a steady role in the lineup. General manager Joe Hortiz used a second-round pick on wide receiver Tre Harris and brought back veteran Keenan Allen on a one-year deal. Fellow wideout KeAndre Lambert-Smith, a fifth-round pick in April, impressed in camp. Johnston was solid last season, racking up 711 yards and eight touchdowns, but the drops that plagued him in 2023 were still a problem.”
A fresh start and a move to Arizona could reignite Johnston and tap into the potential so many scouts fell in love with.
“In Arizona, Johnston would have an opportunity to compete with Greg Dortch and work out of the slot more often than he would in Los Angeles, where Allen and Ladd McConkey would be prioritized,” Barnwell added. “Johnston has signed for the next two years at a total of $4.2 million, which is perfectly reasonable for a third/fourth wideout.”
Does Evan Neal Help the Chargers?
At this point, cutting ties with Johnston seems reasonable. The bigger question for the Chargers is whether the return is worth it. After all, Evan Neal has been a far bigger bust than Johnston so far in their careers.
“Neal has been wildly disappointing since the Giants drafted him at No. 7 in 2022,” Barnwell wrote. “The 24-year-old lineman has struggled with injuries, has insulted local fans and hasn’t played well enough when he is on the field. He spent the first half of 2024 on the active roster without playing snaps, and the Giants preferred street free agents and replacement-level options to him at left tackle after Andrew Thomas went down injured. They eventually gave Neal snaps on the right side to finish the season, and he has spent training camp at guard, where he hasn’t been impressive.”
The incentive behind acquiring Neal is to add offensive line depth after losing All-Pro tackle Rashawn Slater, who’s out for the season with a torn patellar tendon.
“The Chargers lost a key lineman when Rashawn Slater went down for the season with a torn patella,” Barnwell added, “and while they are able to move Joe Alt to the left side and insert swing tackle Trey Pipkins on the right side, what was a deep line is suddenly vulnerable.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Chargers Cut Ties With Former First-Round Pick in ESPN Trade Proposal appeared first on Heavy Sports.