As the chaos of free agency quickly approaches, the Chargers will need to make some cuts to free up effective cap space, as they’re $35 million over the projected salary cap.
Two potential cap casualties could be Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, per NFL Media’s Matt Okada.
The ideal scenario might be to restructure both deals to maintain the tandem at a reasonable price tag, but given the team’s defensive struggles and new management, don’t be surprised if at least one of these QB hunters hits the open market.
Together, Bosa and Mack carry $75.1 million against the cap, a shocking number that adds to Los Angeles having the fourth-steepest figure in the NFL.
Bosa and Mack each have their reasons for possibly hitting the open market. Over the last couple of seasons, Bosa has struggled to stay healthy. Though that’s the same reason people said the 49ers made a bad trade in acquiring running back Christian McCaffrey since he was riddled with injuries—and now he’s at the top of his game.
On the other hand, Mack’s age is going against him. The veteran just finished a strong 2023 campaign with a career-high 17 sacks. However, it’s a gamble whether he will produce anywhere close to similar numbers next season.
In a perfect world, the Chargers could restructure both of their contracts, but with as many embarrassing defensive outings as the unit had this past season, general manager Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh may want to clean house and start fresh with their new regime.