While the Chargers are still figuring out who will be the next head coach and general manager, they will have to quickly settle in and figure out a game plan to retool the roster, starting in free agency.
Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness named one free agent each team should pursue in the offseason. For Los Angeles, McGuinness believes they should target cornerback Chidobe Awuzie.
The Chargers need to get better in the secondary in 2024. Awuzie is a more-than-capable coverage player who has just one season with a PFF coverage grade below 60.0 and is coming off a year during which he allowed just 38 receptions from 446 coverage snaps.
The Bolts could be in the market for a starting cornerback if Michael Davis, who is a free agent, is not re-signed. But regardless of whether or not Davis is back in the blue and gold, the secondary needs to be shored up.
Awuzie, the eight-year veteran, was a slam-dunk signing by the Bengals in 2021. He was playing at an elite level until he suffered a torn ACL midway through the 2022 season.
Awuzie returned to the playing field in Week 1 of the 2023 regular season, and while he did not perform as he did in his first two seasons with Cincinnati, he was still a serviceable starter.
PFF projects Awuzie to land a contract for two years worth ($11.5 million per year) with $13.75 million total guaranteed.
The Chargers are currently strapped for cash, as they’re expected to be $40 million over the 2024 salary cap space. But with some wheeling and dealing with some players under contract, they should have some spendings to land a player like Awuzie.