The Chargers are set to enter free agency with the most salary cap available since Tom Telesco took over as general manager in 2013.
Even though the franchise has some in-house players that will need to get paid, there’s a great chance that Telesco and company will be aggressive in signing other soon-to-be free agents to bolster its roster.
With that being said, we are going to list one pending free agent from each team in the NFL that could be a realistic target for L.A.
Next up is the AFC North.
B.J. Hill, Bengals
If the Chargers re-sign Justin Jones, there could be a reunion between him and Hill as the two were previously teammates at North Carolina State. Despite being overshadowed by Dalvin Tomlinson, Dexter Lawrence, and Leonard Williams during his time with the Giants, Hill still consistently produced, both against the run and generating pressure. Now with Cincinnati, his presence in the middle of the defensive line has helped with its road to the Super Bowl. Hill amassed 29 pressures, six sacks, and 25 run stops on the season.
Miles Killebrew, Steelers
This past season, the Chargers’ special teams coverage units primarily consisted of youth, with Nick Niemann, Chris Rumph, Kemon Hall and Amen Ogbongbemiga finishing atop of special teams snap percentage. Expected to be in search of more core players under new special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken, Killebrew would fulfill that. In 2021, Killebrew logged two blocked punts and seven total tackles in 334 special teams snaps. Further, along with his special teams services, Killebrew would supply safety depth.
David Njoku, Browns
The Chargers will be in the market for a tight end, with Jared Cook set to be a free agent. After facing some ups and downs since being selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, Njoku has gradually shown his true value. Oozing with athleticism and pass-catching chops, Njoku’s posted the highest receiving grade in 2021 (70.9), marking the best since his rookie season, and his 7.0 yards after the catch per reception and 1.56 yards per route run were both career-high marks, per Pro Football Focus. While he would primarily be brought in to serve as another weapon for Justin Herbert, Njoku has shown improvement as a blocker.
Latavius Murray, Ravens
The Chargers are set with Austin Ekeler as their No. 1 running back for the foreseeable future, but they need a reliable running mate to avoid wear and tear to Ekeler. Murray was added by Baltimore prior to the 2021 season after losing its top three running backs throughout training camp. The move ended up paying dividends, as Murray was a solid contributor, finishing with 501 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and an average of 4.2 yards per carry. Throughout his eight-year career, Murray has been reliable in his role and durable. Further, there is also a connection between Murray and Joe Lombardi, as the two were together with the Saints in 2019 and 2020.