Trading Philip Rivers to Titans now gives Chargers best possible return

Jason Fitzgerald

Trading Philip Rivers to Titans now gives Chargers best possible return image

Trade rumors only heat up as the NFL Draft approaches, and the hottest name in 2015 is Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. It's rare for a player of Rivers' stature to be available, but exploring options makes sense for the Chargers given the situation.

The Titans are rumored to be interested in Rivers, which makes this month the perfect trade time. San Diego could obtain Tennessee's No. 2 overall draft pick in exchange. That trade could be a major win for the Chargers in a year when a quarterback (Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston) would be available and immediately become the face of the team.

MORE: Leonard Williams isn't the player you think he isBetter trade bait: Rivers or Drew Brees? 

The key drivers in any trade are contracts. Star players are usually extended before their last contract year, but Rivers happens to be in the final season of a six-year deal. The Chargers are in a state of flux, and Rivers may see a better opportunity, both financially and professionally, if he leaves.

San Diego has 10 players under contract for 2017, the least in the NFL. With a possible move to Los Angeles in the near future, the team should look to re-brand around a new group of players. Rivers might not want to finish his career in a new city while nurturing a group of young talent.

Given the rising salary cap and outlandish contracts we see in free agency, more players will take the injury risk of playing a season out rather than signing a contract extension. Rivers will use Ben Roethlisberger's new contract as a baseline for negotiation. 

The Steelers quarterback last month received a $21.85 million-per-year deal, nearly a 50 percent raise from his prior contract. With that baseline, a new deal for Rivers could be worth $22.83 million per year, which would make him the highest-paid player in the NFL. It's entirely possible Rivers would want even more than that to stay with the Chargers through a relocation.
 
Rivers, a five-time Pro Bowler, will be 34 soon. But with the recent successes from older quarterbacks, he’ll be expected to produce at a high level for at least four more seasons.

MORE: Mock Draft  | STEELE: Why blockbuster trades are becoming more common 

The Chargers next year can effectively block Rivers from free agency with a franchise tag that will cost a minimum $20.88 million, but that may not be ideal. He could threaten to sit out the season, which would leave San Diego without a quarterback, a large cap hit for a player not on the team and compromised leverage in future trades. 

The following table contains applicable veteran quarterback trades. In almost all cases, the trading team was compromised by the player. Rivers would become the best quarterback under contract available since Brett Favre in 2008.

The Titans have more than enough cap space to absorb the $15.75 million salary hit Rivers would bring. Though Tennessee (like San Diego) is known as a low spender, the move would likely be welcomed financially.

Working out an agreement may not be easy (the Chargers might need to add a mid-round pick), but this scenario presents the best return San Diego will ever get for Rivers. This type of trade likely won't exist next season, and there's no guarantee a franchise quarterback will be available at the Chargers' current spot in the draft.

If the Chargers believe Mariota or Winston can be the face of the franchise, the time to move Rivers is now. 

Jason Fitzgerald

Jason Fitzgerald is an NFL salary expert and contributor for Sporting News. Read more of his writing at OverTheCap.com and follow him on Twitter: @Jason_OTC.