Los Angeles moved up three spots in the 2024 second round for…
Los Angeles moved up three spots in the 2024 second round for Ladd McConkey and also received fifth-round cornerback Tarheeb Still, while New England took Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. McConkey has produced 1,938 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns through two seasons, and Still has become a regular starter with four career interceptions. The Patriots’ two receivers have not approached that impact, making this a clear Chargers win.
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- pick 2024 2nd round pick (34th overall, Ladd McConkey)
- pick 2024 5th round pick (137th overall, Tarheeb Still)
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2024 2nd round pick (37th overall, Ja'Lynn Polk)
- pick 2024 4th round pick (110th overall, Javon Baker)
Trade Analysis
The Chargers traded up because they saw Ladd McConkey as a receiver who could immediately fit Justin Herbert’s timing-based passing game. Los Angeles sent picks 37 and 110 to New England for Nos. 34 and 137, then used those selections on McConkey and cornerback Tarheeb Still. The Patriots used their return on Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, giving this deal a clean early comparison between two pairs of young players.
McConkey has been the defining piece. As a rookie, he caught 82 passes for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns, instantly becoming one of the league’s most productive first-year receivers. He followed with 66 catches for 789 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. Through two seasons, he has 148 receptions, 1,938 yards and 13 touchdowns. That is already a major return on a small three-slot move in the second round.
Still has made the Chargers’ side even stronger. The fifth-rounder became a rookie starter, intercepted four passes in 2024 and returned one for a touchdown. He remained a regular starter in 2025, playing 15 games with 13 starts and seven passes defensed. Los Angeles therefore did not simply identify the best receiver in the transaction; it also found a legitimate starting defensive back with the extra pick.
New England’s results have been far thinner. Polk and Baker combined for just 13 receptions, 99 yards and two touchdowns in their rookie season, numbers the Patriots themselves described as disappointing. Neither player has come close to matching McConkey’s volume or Still’s defensive role.
The original B+/D grading no longer captures how large the separation has become. Los Angeles turned the exchange into two starters, including a receiver nearing 2,000 yards after two seasons. New England used both acquired selections on receivers without comparable production. Through 2025, this deserves an A for the Chargers and a D- for the Patriots.