The Chargers will have the most salary cap space since general manager Tom Telesco took over in 2013. The team will have a few of their in-house players to take care of – but with some wheeling and dealing they should have enough to make some big signings in free agency.
Should Los Angeles choose to be aggressive during the free agency period, one player that could catch their attention to fill the cornerback spot opposite of Casey Hayward is Byron Jones.
Pro Football Focus recognized the Chargers as a possible landing spot for Jones, given the positional need and the fact that Jones has flourished in a Cover 3 system – which is what defensive coordinator Gus Bradley runs.
Jones is currently listed as PFF’s No. 1 free agent on defense of the 2020 offseason.
A move to cornerback rejuvenated Jones’ career in 2018, as he showed that he could play single coverage on the outside at a high level. He finished with the 14th-best coverage grade among corners in 2018 (80.4) before dropping to 21st in 2019 (74.8), but those are extremely valuable numbers as he hits the open market. Many will point to Jones not picking off a pass over the last two years, but his 74.1 coverage grade in single coverage is 11th-best during that time, and he has also shown the ability to match up against tight ends when called upon. Jones brings youth and coverage ability to the open market, making him the top defensive free agent heading into the offseason.
Jones, 27, would bring another veteran presence to the defense that the Chargers value greatly. Coming off a 46 tackle campaign and after producing 15 passes defensed with the fourth-best forced incompletion rate of any cornerback, Jones would be welcomed to the City of Angels with open arms.
Like Hayward, Jones isn’t going to tally the interception column on the stat sheet, but he is a reliable cover man on the outside. Jones also offers some positional flexibility as he played a little bit of safety during his tenure with the Cowboys – which is something Bradley likes in his defensive backs.
Los Angeles still has Michael Davis, who has been decent in the starting role and Brandon Facyson, who hasn’t had that much playing time as a starter, but has shown promise. But the team could benefit immensely from adding a talented corner like Jones.
The Chargers might be better off using that money available to shore up the offensive line, and address the cornerback position in the draft. But given the fact that they will have more money than recent years, Telesco could very well look to shore up the secondary by adding the 27-year old corner.