The Los Angeles Chargers are in an even more embarrassing spot than just being 0-8. The Denver Broncos said a hard no to the Daiyan Henley trade late Wednesday, wiping out the only deadline move the Chargers made all season.
The Broncos announced via social media late Wednesday night that the trade to acquire Henley from the Los Angeles Chargers “will not be finalized,” per Adam Schefter.
Denver Broncos Call off Daiyan Henley Trade With Chargers
“The team did not provide a reason for why the trade was scuttled, but according to team sources, Henley was in the Broncos’ complex Wednesday and underwent a physical,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote.
“We have great respect for Daiyan as a player and person, and we wish him all the best moving forward,” the Broncos said in their statement.
The Chargers tried to save face on social media shortly after the Broncos’ announcement, posting, “Welcome back, Daiyan.” Ironically, the post came shortly after they deleted the “Thank you, Daiyan” post they made 30 hours ago after announcing the trade.
The deal was supposed to send a 2027 fourth-rounder and a 2028 fifth-rounder to Los Angeles for Henley, sending him from a winless roster straight to the top of the AFC West.
Instead, they got a player on an expiring rookie contract who knows the team traded him for two late-round picks.
The Broncos’ head coach, Sean Payton, and GM Georgie Paton have not said a single word about the sudden change of mind yet, despite having an obvious roster need for some linebacker help.
“The Broncos (7-2), who are on a five-game winning streak, had been in pursuit of additional depth at inside linebacker for a defense that ranks 23rd in run defense. Alex Singleton is in the midst of one of the best years of his career as well, but he also leads the league’s defensive players with 617 snaps played over the season’s first nine weeks,” Legwold writes.
“The Broncos have also played more defensive snaps than any team in the league, 618, and Singleton, 32, has missed just one of those. Singleton and Justin Strnad have been the starters at inside linebacker all season.”
Daiyan Henley Stays Back With the Chargers
Without Henley, if either Singleton or Strnad tweaks a hamstring or misses time, Denver is forced to throw rather inexperienced Karene Reid or Jordan Turner into live action with almost zero defensive snaps under their belts.
Henley would have been a low-risk addition for Denver anyway, since he’s in the final year of his rookie deal.
Back in L.A., the real question is whether GM Joe Hortiz even bothers trying to re-sign him this offseason, or if Henley wants any part of a franchise that tried to ship him while holding onto prime trade bait like Khalil Mack.
Henley has a team-high 51 tackles for the Chargers this season and was the Chargers’ leading tackler in each of the previous two seasons with back-to-back 100-tackle seasons. Henley has 317 tackles, five sacks, and four interceptions in 56 career games with the Chargers.
Denver will next play again Nov. 22 against the Las Vegas Raiders in Denver.
Broncos’ Abrupt Daiyan Henley Trade Decision Worsens Chargers’ Deadline Embarrassment