One thing about the pre-draft process is never to discount any possibility. The NFL gets crazy this time of year. Always expect the unexpected, even if the unexpected is outright lunacy. Jim Harbaugh finally returned to the pros after an almost decade-long exile. He joined the Los Angeles Chargers, taking on the goal of finally getting the most out of star quarterback Justin Herbert after years of coaching mismanagement. However, if there’s one thing to remember about Harbaugh, it’s that he’s unpredictable.
Rumblings have started to surface about whether the new head coach may or may not have designs on a quarterback change. He hasn’t been shy about stating that J.J. McCarthy, his quarterback at Michigan who just won him a national championship, is the best to come out of college since Andrew Luck. Obviously, people disagree, but that hasn’t stopped Harbaugh from sticking to that message. He stated his belief McCarthy would be the #1 pick in the draft once the dust settles in April.
While it sounds unbelievable, some have started wondering.
Would he dare trade Herbert? Luke Easterling of Sports Illustrated said the possibility must at least be considered, and he thinks the Chicago Bears have every reason to explore the idea.
“Conventional wisdom would indicate that one of the many draws for Harbaugh in taking the Chargers job was likely the presence of a young franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert, who has already signed a long-term contract extension with the team.
But we all know that Harbaugh is anything but conventional.
On a recent appearance on Fox Sports with Colin Cowherd, Harbaugh make the shocking (if biased) prediction that McCarthy wouldn’t just be a first-round pick in this year’s draft, but would be the No. 1 overall selection…
…If the Chicago Bears are willing to move on from Justin Fields by using the No. 1 pick on one of the top quarterbacks in this draft, could they be tempted by the Chargers to send the pick to Los Angeles in a deal that nets them Herbert?…
…Meanwhile, it would put Harbaugh and the Chargers in the No. 1 spot, where the old Michigan head coach would ensure that his prediction comes true by reuniting with his old quarterback in McCarthy. It would also help the cap-strapped Chargers save plenty of money by starting over with a young quarterback on a rookie contract.”
Justin Herbert is a no-brainer target for the Bears.
The guy is 26 years old and has played like a star from the moment he entered the league. Across 62 career games, he has 17,223 passing yards, 114 touchdowns, and 42 interceptions. He’s engineered 11 comebacks in the 4th quarter over that span and made a Pro Bowl. Trading somebody like that seems absurd. So why? Well, aside from Harbaugh’s personal preference, there are a couple of other possibilities. Los Angeles is more than $45 million over the salary cap. Unloading his contract might give them some desperately needed long-term relief. He also missed the final four games of last season with a broken finger on his throwing hand.
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For Chicago, the sell is an easy one. Rather than take a gamble on Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, they could give up the #1 pick for a guy who is already a star in his prime. They have more than $46 million in cap space and can create much more, so the price isn’t a huge issue. Not to mention, they would have their other 1st round pick and whatever they get for trading Justin Fields. So it’s not like they’d surrender a huge package. It is hard to find a downside to this Justin Herbert idea.
Will it happen? Almost certainly not, but with a wild card like Harbaugh involved, you can never say never.
