Category: Chargers free agency

Twitter reacts to Chargers landing CB J.C. Jackson in free agency

The Chargers got their No. 1 cornerback in J.C. Jackson, who’s expected to sign with Los Angeles. Here’s how fans are reacting:

The Chargers struck gold, as they’re expected to sign former Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson when the free agency period begins on Wednesday.

Here’s how the general population reacted to Los Angeles landing the top free agent on the market:

Report: Chargers expected to sign CB J.C. Jackson

The Chargers are landing the top-flight free agent.

With the league’s tampering period officially open, the Chargers are off to the races as they look to bolster their roster, specifically on the defensive side of the ball in this case.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Los Angeles is expected to sign former Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson to a big money deal.

Arguably one of the best cornerbacks in man coverage, Jackson recorded a career-high 58 tackles, and NFL-best 23 passes defended while adding eight interceptions en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2021.

Jackson, 26, has 22 interceptions over the past three seasons, which are tops in the NFL. Further, his 47 passes defended are tied for second.

With Jackson on board, he will now serve as the team’s No. 1 corner while Michael Davis plays opposite him and Asante Samuel Jr. will be a mainstay in the slot.

Chargers’ biggest positions of need entering free agency

Highlighting the Los Angeles Chargers’ biggest positional needs heading into free agency.

The Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine are behind us, and the attention has turned to free agency, where the Chargers will look to reshape their roster with players already in the league and get the team ready for the 2022 season.

What positions should we anticipate general manager Tom Telesco to address during this period? Here’s a look at the most pressing needs for the Bolts heading into free agency.

Defensive tackle: The Chargers finished with the third-worst run defense in the league, and a lot of it has to do with the lack of talent in the trenches. Further, Linval Joseph, Justin Jones, and Christian Covington are all slated to be free agents. Akiem Hicks, D.J. Jones, Folorunso Fatukasi are just among the few interior defenders they could target.

Cornerback: Asante Samuel Jr. proved to be the team’s best cornerback in just his first season, but he had two concussions, and he could be moved inside the slot next season. Michael Davis played well, but nothing to warrant the money he was paid last offseason. Chris Harris Jr. will be a free agent. They need a plug-and-play starter on the outside and a few depth pieces.

Right tackle: Bryan Bulaga is still under contract, but he is a potential cap casualty after dealing with injuries during his time with L.A. Storm Norton’s poor play against the Raiders exemplified that he isn’t reliable enough to be counted on as a long-term starter. Trey Pipkins played well in his two starts and should be given a shot to compete for the job in the summer, but the team still needs a bonafide starter to protect Justin Herbert.

Right guard: In the five games as the starter, Oday Aboushi was a difference-maker. Unfortunately, his one-year stint was cut short after suffering a torn ACL. Aboushi is a candidate to be brought back. But if the Chargers move on from him, they will need someone to compete for the job, possibly with Brenden Jaimes.

Running back: Austin Ekeler thrived in his first season under Joe Lombardi, reaching 20 total touchdowns, which tied for the most this season. However, he will need a running mate moving forward to ensure longevity, and that guy doesn’t appear to be on the roster. Coming into his own late in the season, Justin Jackson will be a free agent. Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree had their opportunities but left a lot to be desired.

Wide receiver: The Chargers have a strong core heading into the season with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, who was recently extended, and Josh Palmer. However, one thing is sure: Los Angeles still needs a speed/yards-after-the-catch weapon.

Report: Chargers expected to be ‘heavily involved’ with CB J.C. Jackson

The Chargers are looking to add the top-tier cornerback.

The Chargers struck gold, agreeing with the Bears to trade for edge defender Khalil Mack. But don’t expect them to take the foot off the gas, as head coach Brandon Staley looks to bring in the right pieces to retool his defense.

Among the pending free agents to look out for is Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson, who is expected to be heavily targeted by Los Angeles, according to NFL Media’s Mike Giardi.

After New England elected not to place the franchise tag on him, Jackson enters the free agency period as one of the hottest names on the market.

Arguably one of the best cornerbacks in man coverage, Jackson recorded a career-high 58 tackles, and NFL-best 23 passes defended while adding eight interceptions en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance.

Jackson, 26, has 22 interceptions over the past three seasons, which are tops in the NFL. Further, his 47 passes defended are tied for second.

With Staley looking to find his Jalen Ramsey, Jackson would fill that role while Michael Davis would play opposite him and Asante Samuel Jr. would play in the slot more frequently.

If the Chargers agree to terms with Jackson on Monday when the legal tampering period begins, nothing can be finalized until Wednesday when the new league year begins.

1 pending free agent from each AFC team the Chargers could target

Highlighting one pending free agent from each AFC team that could be on the Chargers’ radar.

The free agency frenzy is set to begin on Monday, as it marks the legal tampering period where teams are allowed to start contacting and entering into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents.

The Chargers have already been active, re-signing wide receiver Mike Williams and agreeing with the Bears to trade for edge defender Khalil Mack. But with $21 million in available salary-cap space and needs at various positions, look for them to be active in free agency.

Without further ado, here is a pending free agent from each team in the AFC that the Bolts could have their eyes on.

Report: Chargers ‘could be in mix’ for J.C. Jackson, Stephon Gilmore

The Chargers could look to be aggressive in landing a top free-agent cornerback.

With that legal tampering period just a week away, this is the time when reports and rumors will be flying all over the place regarding where some of the free agents could end up when the period begins on March 16.

For the Chargers, who will be in the market for more cornerback talent, they could be in the running for Patriots’ J.C. Jackson and Panthers’ Stephon Gilmore, according to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo.

Jackson enters as one of the hottest commodities. Rather than receiving the franchise tag, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that New England is expected to let him hit the open market.

The sticky cover man, Jackson, has 22 interceptions over the past three seasons, which are tops in the NFL. Further, his 47 passes defended are tied for second.

The question becomes whether Los Angeles is willing to pay Jackson what he will be seeking. His contract projection is four years for $72 million ($18M per year, $56 million total guaranteed).

Gilmore, on the other hand, played nine games for Carolina in 2021 and was as good as advertised. When quarterbacks threw his way, they had very little success, as he allowed just 15 catches on the season.

Prior to that, through his four-year career in New England, Gilmore was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro selection. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.

The Chargers are set to have the second-most salary cap space in the NFL at $56.4 million. While retaining their own is the top priority, they should still have the finances to land a big fish in the pond or two, like Jackson or Gilmore.

1 pending free agent Chargers should target: NFC North Edition

Listing one free agent from each team in the NFC North that could be a good fit for the Chargers.

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 will list one pending free agent from each team in the NFL that could be a realistic target for L.A.

Next up is the NFC North.

DT Sheldon Richardson, Vikings

After finishing near the bottom in run defense, the Chargers must upgrade the trenches. After being let go of by the Browns at the end of the 2020 season, Richardson was picked up by Minnesota, where he became a key contributor in the trenches, posting 37 quarterback pressures and four sacks, along with 24 run stops in 2021. In addition, he could fit well in Brandon Staley’s system, as Richardson has experience playing in a 3-4 system and brings a veteran presence to the group, with nine years in the league under his belt.

OT Dennis Kelly, Packers

Bryan Bulaga’s future with the Chargers is in flux after being riddled by injuries in his two seasons with the team. Therefore, Bulaga is a cut candidate to free up cap space. Should that come to fruition, Los Angeles will need to find a viable option to start at right tackle after Storm Norton’s play was inconsistent. Kelly, the journeyman, was trusted into Green Bay’s starting lineup after an injury to Billy Turner, where he proved to be solid. On 185 pass-block snaps, Kelly allowed just four pressures and one sack. Of his nine seasons in the league, he has posted Pro Football Focus grades of over 70 in three of them.

EDGE Charles Harris, Lions

The Chargers’ primary attention will be on the interior part of the defensive line this offseason, but they will also have to consider the positional group right next to it, with edge defenders Uchenna Nwosu and Kyler Fackrell’s contracts up. Starting his career with the Dolphins, Harris went on to amass just 3.5 sacks across three seasons. After that, he had a stint with the Falcons, where he posted three sacks. It was until he signed with the Lions that everything clicked, and Harris finally lived up to his first-round billing. He doubled his career sack total, notching 7.5. Further, Harris finished top 20 in quarterback pressures among edge defenders (52), and his 17.4% pass rush win rate ranked 17th.

DT Akiem Hicks, Bears

Hicks is one of the more intriguing pending free agents, who should be atop of the Chargers’ priority list. He is familiar with Brandon Staley during his time with Chicago when he was the outside linebacker coach. Crossing blockers’ faces and bullying them into the backfield, Hicks can contribute equally well against the run and pass. He has over 50 quarterback pressures in three seasons, with his most recent in 2020. He has dealt with some injuries throughout his lengthy career, but it hasn’t hindered him enough to keep him from producing when he is on the field. He played over 800 snaps in each season in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020.

1 pending free agent Chargers should target: NFC West Edition

Listing one free agent from each team in the NFC West that could be a good fit for the Chargers.

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 NFC West.

DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, Rams

Joseph-Day is familiar with head coach Brandon Staley, making this an intriguing pairing. When Staley oversaw the Rams’ top-ranked defense, he had a career-high 33 run stops, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. He was on his way to surpassing those, but an unfortunate torn pectoral sustained in Week 7 kept him out. Still, with a combination of speed, power, and violent hands, Joseph-Day can win one-on-one matchups and eat-up blockers to let his fellow teammates roam freely that the Chargers could greatly benefit from. Further, according to Pro Football Focus, Joseph-Day led the league in run-stop percentage among interior defenders in 2021.

DT D.J. Jones, 49ers

En route to San Francisco’s playoff run, Jones proved to be a staple that flew under the radar after he was re-signed on a one-year prove-it deal last offseason. The definition of a no-nonsense-penetrator, Jones lives in opposing backfields. Money as a run defender, he had 40 stops on the regular season and had 14 tackles for loss or no gain in 2021, which were second to only Aaron Donald among all interior defenders despite playing roughly half as many snaps as him. But in addition, he provides value as a pass rusher, with 16 pressures, marking a career-high.

WR Christian Kirk, Cardinals

All eyes are set on Mike Williams and whether or not he will be in a Chargers uniform in 2022. But no matter what Williams’ future holds, Los Angeles needs to add an asset capable of stretching the field. Kirk is a smooth and dependable receiver with the speed and vertical ability who’s coming off a career year, catching 77 passes for 982 yards and five touchdowns. Further, Kirk recorded a 97.0 receiving grade when targeted receiver on deep throws (throws of 20-plus air yards). This would allow Justin Herbert to use his big arm to uncork it more often.

CB D.J. Reed, Seahawks

The Chargers will be looking to upgrade their cornerback room, with Chris Harris Jr.’s tenure likely at an end and it’s lacking quality talent aside from Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. While undersized at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, Reed showed to handle his duties on the outside at a high level. Reed allowed a passer rating of 66.0 from the 68 targets thrown into his coverage, with only 51.5% of those throws caught by their intended target. While the majority of his playing time came near the boundary, Reed also possesses the versatility to play safety and in the slot, giving Brandon Staley the flexibility to move him around in his ever-revolving secondary.

Chargers’ decision with WR Mike Williams looms

All eyes are on the Chargers to see what they will do with Mike Williams.

The Chargers’ decision on wide receiver Mike Williams looms.

Williams heads into the offseason as one of the top pending unrestricted free agents, and Los Angeles has the opportunity to ensure he doesn’t go anywhere starting on Tuesday.

The two-week window for franchise tagging players begins, which means it would guarantee Williams a one-year deal worth and give both sides more time to potentially iron out a long-term extension if they decide to take this route.

The cost to tag Williams would be $19 million. L.A. is set to have the third-most cap space in the league, per Over The Cap.

If the Chargers don’t tag Williams, they could also negotiate a long-term deal when free agency opens on March 14. However, he would also be free to negotiate with any team then.

In a new role under Joe Lombardi, Williams is coming off arguably his most productive seasons to date, setting career highs with 76 receptions and 1,146 receiving yards. In addition, he added nine touchdown catches in 2021.

Williams made a strong case in the season finale against the Raiders, as he came through in the clutch and made big plays along the way, most notably when he caught a 12-yard touchdown pass as time expired to send the game into overtime.

The 27-year old was inconsistent in the middle of the season, dealt with dropped passes, and may still draw injury concerns, but keeping Williams is vital for continuity between him and Justin Herbert, and his big-play ability doesn’t come around often with other players at the position.

1 pending free agent Chargers should target: AFC South Edition

Listing one free agent from each team in the AFC South that could be a good fit for the Chargers.

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 South.

EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad, Colts

This is a league where you can’t have too many pass rushers, and the Chargers are currently thin at the position. Appearing in every game for the third consecutive season, Muhammad finished the 2021 season with career highs with 47 tackles, 37 pressures, 12 quarterback hits, and six sacks. The 6-foot-4 and 250 pounder would be a fine piece to Los Angeles’ pass-rush rotation, and it wouldn’t cost them much, either.

WR D.J. Chark, Jaguars

Mike Williams’ future with the Chargers looms, but even if he is back, the team is lacking one element at the position: speed. Before fracturing his ankle that limited him to four games in 2021, Chark compiled 126 receptions, 1,714 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns across the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The 6-foot-3 and 198 pounder has more than ideal size coupled with the “see you later” speed and athleticism that the offense could greatly benefit from.

S Justin Reid, Texans

Among the many positions that the Chargers need to address is safety. Behind Derwin James and Nasir Adderley, Alohi Gilman and Mark Webb both dealt with injuries that kept them out for a great while of time this past season. After flourishing in his rookie and sophomore seasons, Reid took a step back the past two seasons after being in a bad situation schematically and dealing with a sudden rift between Reid and David Culley, Houston’s interim head coach in 2021. Nonetheless, Reid’s skillset is perfect for Brandon Staley’s defense, as he’s capable of lining up all over the field, with the ability to run with receivers or tight ends and the football IQ to identify route concepts and make plays at the catch point.

RB D’Onta Foreman, Titans

The Chargers need to find a running mate to Austin Ekeler in the worst way, and Foreman has the resume to be that guy. Foreman took full advantage of an expanded role when Derrick Henry was injured in 2021, carrying 133 times for 566 yards (4.3-yard average) and three touchdowns, and he crossed the 100-yard mark three times. Further, he showed capable as a pass-catcher, reeling in nine of 10 targets for 123 yards (13.7 yards per catch).