Chargers' Jim Harbaugh irked by Broncos after nixed trade - ESPN

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh on Thursday expressed frustration with the Denver Broncos about a nixed trade this week involving linebacker Daiyan Henley.

«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. «And in my opinion, it's one of those loopholes that the league should really look into because it sets a bad precedent, and it continues to set a bad precedent.»

Ahead of the NFL trade deadline, the Chargers agreed to send Henley to the division-rival Broncos for a 2027 fourth-round and a 2028 fifth-round draft pick.

When they initially announced the trade Tuesday, the Broncos included that the deal was «pending a physical.»

Late Wednesday night, the Broncos announced on social media that the trade would «not be finalized.» Neither team disclosed official reasons for why the trade was scuttled, but sources told ESPN's Jeff Legwold and ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Broncos discovered an issue with one of Henley's knees when the linebacker had his physical Wednesday.

«We came to terms on it, made the agreement, they called us up and were asking us to amend the trade based on the physical,» Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said Thursday, while declining to confirm whether it was a knee issue that triggered the failed trade. «And in our minds, the physical's a binary thing. It's pass or fail. And they wanted the player still. They wanted to change the terms. They used it, and we weren't going to do it.»

Hortiz said the Broncos were aware of Henley's medical issues when the deal was made.

«Absolutely,» he said when asked if he told the Broncos about any health concerns. «Yep, absolutely. 'Hey,