Report: Chargers Discussed Trade with 'At Least 1 Team' in Top 5 of NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Chargers have spoken to at least one team in the top five of the 2020 NFL draft, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler added that the Detroit Lions, who pick third, "have talked to several teams today."

The Chargers, who pick sixth in Thursday's event, would perhaps look to leapfrog the Miami Dolphins at No. 5. In his final mock draft, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller projected Miami would select Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert and Los Angeles would follow with Alabama signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa.

The Lions are in an advantageous position.

Everybody expects the Cincinnati Bengals to take LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Miami Dolphins reached out to the Bengals about a possible trade "on more than one occasion," only to be rebuffed.

There's a similar consensus with the Washington Redskins at No. 2, with defensive end Chase Young the presumed target.

That leaves the Lions as the most obvious trade partner for teams that have a clear preference among Herbert, Tagovailoa and perhaps Utah State's Jordan Love.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Detroit "[has] been engaged with multiple teams" about moving back.

General manager Bob Quinn confirmed last week the Lions would be willing to move their top pick but expressed reservation about dropping too far in the first round, per ESPN's Michael Rothstein:

"I could see a scenario, yes, but ideally, no. Obviously, I say this all the time, but it takes two teams to do a trade. So when you're trading back, you're going to trade back after 10 or 11, you have to know the ramifications of that.

"You're going to get a different level of player. That has to be factored in with the compensation you're going to get back and if you feel good about losing out on one of those guys that you like higher."

An agreement between the Chargers and Lions would likely satisfy both parties. Los Angeles gets to have its pick of the best quarterbacks available. Meanwhile, Detroit could land one of the top defensive prospects, such as Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, to turn around a unit that ranked 28th in efficiency, per Football Outsiders.