The 2026 NFL trade deadline passed with less activity than many expected. Several deals were completed, but other proposals never advanced, and one agreement between AFC West rivals unraveled more than a day after the deadline.
The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers had agreed to a trade involving linebacker Daiyan Henley. In exchange for the 26-year-old starter, Denver was set to send the Chargers a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft and a fifth-round pick in 2028.
The Broncos later backed out after reviewing Henley’s physical. The Chargers ultimately announced that the trade would not proceed, leaving Henley in Los Angeles. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh subsequently criticized both Denver’s handling of the deal and the NFL rules that allowed the transaction to be canceled.
## Harbaugh Questions How the Trade Was Evaluated
Harbaugh was visibly frustrated when discussing the failed trade. He said Denver’s decision was tied to the medical evaluation and the draft compensation being offered, arguing that the circumstances created a loophole the league should examine.
“The Broncos based a pass/fail on a medical grade based on whether we would take less compensation and we wouldn’t, and we didn’t,” Harbaugh said. “In my opinion, it’s one of those loopholes that the league should really look into because it sets a bad precedent and continues to set a bad precedent.”
He also described the issue as a pass-or-fail decision connected to Henley’s medical grade. Harbaugh said the Broncos had indicated they would not approve the linebacker at the agreed-upon price of a fourth- and fifth-round pick, but would approve him for a fourth-round pick with the remaining compensation left unspecified.
“They told us they weren’t gonna pass him if it was a fourth and a fifth, which was agreed upon, and they would not pass him for that,” Harbaugh said. “They would pass him for a fourth and fill in the blank. I don’t know what to call that, but that’s what it is.”
Harbaugh’s comments reflected the Chargers’ frustration with the way the deal fell apart. Although the trade’s cancellation meant Los Angeles retained a starting linebacker, the team had agreed to move Henley for future draft picks and had to adjust after the arrangement was abandoned.
## Chargers Had Considered Offers for Several Players
The Chargers received trade calls about multiple players, including quarterback Justin Herbert, wide receiver Ladd McConkey and edge rusher Khalil Mack. Despite those inquiries and an 0–8 start, Los Angeles was not generally prepared to sell off its roster at the deadline.
Henley’s situation appeared different. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and the draft-pick offer may have been appealing enough for the Chargers to agree to move him. The proposed return included a fourth-round selection in 2027 and a fifth-round selection in 2028.
The deal’s collapse left Henley in a difficult position. He had been part of an agreement that would have sent him to a division rival, only to return to the Chargers after the Broncos withdrew. That created an unusual situation for a player who had been expected to leave the organization.
## Henley Expected to Resume His Role
Henley has started 41 of the 56 games he has played since the Chargers selected him 85th overall in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He started all eight of the team’s games during its winless opening stretch in 2026.
With the trade canceled, Henley was expected to return to his starting role in Los Angeles. The Chargers had agreed to move forward without him, but the failed transaction brought him back to the team and its lineup.
The episode left both clubs with an unresolved story from the deadline: Denver had identified an issue during Henley’s physical, while Harbaugh questioned the way the medical process and agreed compensation were connected. For the Chargers, the immediate result was clear—Henley remained on the roster, and the team did not receive the future draft picks included in the proposed deal.
