Lost in the tidal wave of roster moves for the Los Angeles Chargers as Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz reset the roster last offseason was a small trade for a defensive back by the name of Elijah Molden.
At the time, Molden was a lesser-known name the Tennessee Titans were more than happy to ship to the rebuilding Chargers—and all Harbaugh, Hortiz and Co. had to give up was a seventh-round pick…in the 2026 NFL draft.
Fast forward roughly one year, the deal looks like a massive ripoff.
This week, the Chargers hit Molden with a three-year extension to prevent him from leaving in free agency. The contract checks in at $18.25 million, with $13.5 million guaranteed, an aggressive move at a position the team already pays up big at for Derwin James.
The why isn’t hard to figure out. Over 15 games before suffering a broken fibula, Molden was a breakout hit in Jesse Minter’s defense, totaling 75 tackles with three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and seven passes defensed. The effort earned him a 75.6 PFF grade, 22nd among 170 safeties.
The Chargers felt so strongly about this move that they got Molden re-signed before doing anything with Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa or other notable free agents. They got it done before the inevitable Rashawn Slater extension.
Now, Molden’s return enables the defense to keep James in that hybrid role near the line of scrimmage, maximizing what Minter’s unit can do.
Those Titans, meanwhile, head to the draft with the No. 1 pick and sporting safety as one of the top needs on the roster.
Not a bad trade for the Chargers front office, which continues to make a habit of ripping off other teams, including the New England Patriots, when they traded up for Ladd McConkey.
