Tag: Chargers free agents

5 players the Chargers should not re-sign

The Chargers have some big decisions to make with some of their own free agents, including defenders Asante Samuel Jr. and Denzel Perryman.

It’s that time of the year where we began to evaluate the Chargers’ internal free agents. The front office has several decisions to make this offseason, and it begins with who to retain amongst its own.

Below are five players that Los Angeles should end up letting walk this offseason:

WE Joshua Palmer

It was a disappointing 2024 campaign for the Tennessee product. In a year in which Los Angeles needed him to take a step forward, he simply failed to do so. In 15 games, he registered 39 catches and 584 receiving yards, good for 15.0 yards per reception. Palmer’s 60.0% catch rate and one touchdown were both career worsts, while his measly 38.9 yards per contest was his lowest number since his 2021 rookie campaign. While wideout remains a need for this team, the front office will be better suited going after a wideout in both the draft and free agency.

C Bradley Bozeman

With all due respect, Bozeman should be the most obvious decision amongst this group. Joe Hortiz recently stated that the team has had discussions about bringing him back already, and the veteran doesn’t seem opposed to it either. Unless if it’s for a role as a backup, re-signing Bozeman would be a mistake. He was consistently the biggest weakness along the offensive line in 2024, and it’s time to find a younger, longer-term option at center.

TE Hayden Hurst

Hurst signed a one-year deal with the Chargers last offseason, and that should end up being the duration of his time in Los Angeles. The 31-year-old is a shell of his younger self and the numbers reflect such. Hurst had a career lows in catches (8), yards (73), while also failing to reach the endzone for the first time in his career. Tight end is a major need for this team, and Hurst is not apart of the short or long-term plans whatsoever.

CB Asante Samuel Jr. 

A year ago, moving on from him would seem like a questionable decision. The 2021 second-rounder started 43 games in his first three seasons with the team and became the team’s most reliable cornerback throughout. Unfortunately, injuries got the best of him in 2024, and he played in just four games. Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still came on as rookies and figure to be a huge part of this team’s secondary in the future.

Pro Football Focus projects a three-year, $43.5 million deal for Samuel with $26.5 million guaranteed. This team simply has bigger needs at this point, and he’s not worth that kind of money, especially with the growth of Hart and Still. Bringing back someone like Kristian Fulton for cheaper seems like a better business move.

LB Denzel Perryman

Perryman returned to Los Angeles in 2024 on a one-year deal to start 11 games and put up 55 total tackles. Unfortunately, he’s missed a double-digit number of games over the last two years and can’t seem to stay healthy. Age isn’t on his side either, as he recently turned 32 years old. With Daiyan Henley already locked in as one of the starters in the middle, the Chargers can find someone younger and more reliable than Perryman in free agency.

Chargers expected to make efforts to re-sign Khalil Mack, 2 teams linked to him

Khalil Mack made it clear that he will play in 2025, but for which team remains to be seen.

The Chargers head into free agency with a handful of their own players whose contracts are up, most notably edge defender Khalil Mack.

Earlier this month, Mack said he would take time to figure out his future. Despite considering retirement, he made it clear he will play in 2025.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Los Angeles is expected to make efforts to re-sign Mack, adding that the team embodies the spirit of the team’s toughness.

However, it won’t be done without a fight. Other teams, including the Panthers and Falcons, who are in the market for pass-rush help, are expected to make offers to the veteran.

Mack is coming off another great season, playing like he’s younger than his age (33). He finished first in quarterback pressures (54) and second in sacks (6). Mack also had the second-highest PFF run defense grade among edge rushers (88.0).

PFF projects Mack’s contract to be for two years worth $22.5 million per year with $40 million guaranteed.

Luckily, the Chargers are in excellent shape to bring back Mack as they are projected to have $63.05 available in cap space, with potentially more if they choose to move from some players.

Chargers named best landing spot for top free agent

The Chargers could go all in for a big-bodied wide receiver who posted a career-high 10 touchdowns.

The Chargers will be big spenders in free agency. They’re projected to have $63 million in cap space, and if they make some cuts, they could have more.

Pro Football Focus sees Los Angeles using a good chunk of that money to sign wide receiver Tee Higgins, the No. 1 overall free agent this offseason.

The Chargers’ offensive success this season came despite their shallow receiving corps. Projected to own the sixth-most cap space this offseason, Los Angeles can afford to supply Justin Herbert with a dominant outside threat to pair with breakout first-year slot receiver Ladd McConkey.

Wide receiver was among the weakest positional groups for L.A. this past season. They got great production from Ladd McConkey, but the rest of the room left a lot to be desired.

The Bengals may re-sign or franchise tag Higgins, but if not, the Bolts should be in the mix for him. Higgins’ big-bodied skill set would complement McConkey and give Herbert a much-needed one-two punch.

Despite missing five games with a few injuries, Higgins had 73 receptions for 911 receiving yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2024.

PFF projects that Higgins can land a four-year deal worth $28 million a year and $112 million total, with $67.5 million guaranteed.

Chargers 2025 offseason preview: Pending free agents, cap space, team needs, draft picks

Examining the Chargers’ offseason, including team needs, pending free agents, and salary-cap space.

After finishing 11-6 and making the playoffs, the Chargers are in full offseason mode.

Los Angeles is still a couple of months away from the new league frenzy, but it’s not too early to look at what to expect then, starting with 27 players scheduled to be unrestricted free agents.

  1. CB Eli Apple
  2. OL Bradley Bozeman
  3. WR DJ Chark
  4. RB J.K. Dobbins
  5. LB Troy Dye
  6. TE Hayden Hurst
  7. WR Simi Fehoko
  8. DL Poona Ford
  9. DL Morgan Fox
  10. CB Kristian Fulton
  11. QB Taylor Heinicke
  12. OL Brenden Jaimes
  13. S Tony Jefferson
  14. EDGE Khalil Mack
  15. S Marcus Maye
  16. S Elijah Molden
  17. OL Sam Mustipher
  18. LB Nick Niemann
  19. WR Joshua Palmer
  20. LB Denzel Perryman
  21. LB Shaq Quarterman
  22. WR Jalen Reagor
  23. EDGE Chris Rumph II
  24. CB Asante Samuel, Jr.
  25. P JK Scott
  26. QB Easton Stick
  27. DL Teair Tart

Cap space

The Chargers have a projected $63 million in cap space, the sixth most among all NFL teams.

Team needs

Wide receiver

Time and time again, we saw Justin Herbert’s receivers drop crucial passes this season. Ladd McConkey is here to stay for the long term, and Quentin Johnston did show some improvements. With that, the Chargers still need a legit No. 1 playmaker on the outsider, like a Tee Higgins in free agency. Keenan Allen even teased that he would consider a return to Los Angeles. Regardless of who it is, the Chargers must get Herbert some help and it should be at the top of the priority list.

Tight end

Just behind the wide receiver position, the Chargers need tight end talent badly as well. Recent mock drafts have had Los Angeles using their first-round draft selection on a tight end. This year’s talent at the position was subpar in both the pass-catching and blocking departments. Don’t be surprised to see the front office add multiple tight ends this offseason.

Center

The offensive line is set at offensive tackle, but center was the clear weakness of this unit in 2024. Bradley Bozeman was brought in on a cheap deal, and it didn’t work out. He was regularly the weak link of the offensive line, and it’s time Los Angeles gets younger at this position.

Running back

J.K. Dobbins proved to be a good value pickup. But as we saw, his injury history is concerning. While he can’t be relied upon for an entire 17-game season, Dobbins could be a candidate to return on a short-term deal. Still, it would be wise to draft a running back in this year’s deep class or resort to the free agency pool to improve a rushing offense that ranked far below Jim Harbaugh’s standards.

Guard

Zion Johnson is sometimes inconsistent, but he will still be a starter on the left side in 2025. However, the team has a decision to make regarding his fifth-year option. On the right side, the team should seek reinforcements through the draft and free agency. Trey Pipkins was not good enough, particularly in pass protection.

Interior defensive line

Poona Ford is the big name to watch here, as he had a breakout season this year and is set to hit free agency. He was dominant on the inside, particularly in the run game. Even if Ford is brought back, this unit still needs some depth.

Cornerback

Kristian Fulton and Asante Samuel Jr. are set to become free agents, so the team must decide on those two first and foremost. Beyond that, Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still are in the plans after promising rookie seasons. The team will need depth, at minimum, at the position still. The front office may even consider getting a No. 1 corner in free agency if they lose Fulton and Samuel.

Edge defender

This is largely dependent on Khalil Mack’s fate. Mack will turn 34 in a little over a month. The veteran is coming off his third consecutive Pro Bowl appearance, and he was phenomenal under Jesse Minter this year. The team should do everything in its power to bring him back, but if they do lose him, this becomes a huge area of concern. Additionally, the team could cut ties with Joey Bosa, who has struggled with injuries.

Draft picks

The Chargers have the No. 22 overall selection and are projected to have ten total picks in the 2025 NFL draft.

ESPN makes ‘big prediction’ for the Chargers’ offseason

Right guard was a major weakness for the Chargers this past season, which could lead them to pursue the position heavily in free agency.

The Chargers have some holes that need to be addressed this offseason, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Throughout the 2024 campaign, the interior portion of the offensive line proved to be the group’s weakness.

Center Bradley Bozeman and right guard Trey Pipkins were the two weak spots along the offensive line. Both of their futures in Los Angeles remain unclear, as Pipkins could become a cap casualty.

In fact, that seems likely to happen as he doesn’t seem to be worth the money that he is being paid. Regardless, offensive line remains a position of need for Los Angeles, whether it be in the draft or free agency.

In a recent article, ESPN’s Ben Solak boldly predicts that the Chargers would make a splash at right guard this offseason. Solak thinks the team will land a big-name free agent at the position.

“They will pursue a potential long-term starter at guard with a strong run-blocking background. Will Hernandez, Mekhi Becton, and Aaron Banks all make sense as free agent targets.”

Amongst the listed names, Becton is perhaps the most intriguing one. Originally drafted 11th overall to be an offensive tackle, he made the transition to guard this past season with the Eagles. The former New York Jet did quite well, as Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 21st best guard with a 75.2 overall grade.

Becton is particularly effective in the run game, as Solak mentioned, an aspect of offense that we know Jim Harbaugh loves. None of those three names are considered elite at their position, but they would all be upgrades over Pipkins.

It may take a slight overpay, but it would be worth it to upgrade this offensive line once again. It would also help improve the team’s run game, which was inconsistent for the duration of the 2024 season.

8 positions of need for Chargers this offseason

Despite an 11-win season in 2024, the Chargers still have several holes that need to be addressed this upcoming offseason.

The Chargers overachieved in Jim Harbaugh’s season despite the disappointing first-round exit in the postseason. The team won 11 games and were able to establish a real identity under Harbaugh.

The future is bright in Los Angeles, and now it’s time to look ahead to the offseason. There are a few noticeable holes on the roster, and we’ll go through the biggest positions of need this offseason for the Chargers.

Wide receiver

Time and time again, we saw Justin Herbert’s wideouts drop crucial passes this season. Ladd McConkey is here to stay for the long-term, and Quentin Johnston did show some improvements. With that, the Chargers still need a legit No. 1 playmaker on the outsider, like a Tee Higgins in free agency. Keenan Allen even teased that he would consider a return to Los Angeles. Regardless of who it is, the Chargers must get Herbert some help at wideout and it should be at the top of the priority list.

Tight end

Just behind the wide receiver position, the Chargers need tight end talent badly as well. Recent mock drafts have had Los Angeles using their first-round draft selection on a tight end. This year’s talent at the position was subpar in both the pass-catching and blocking department. Don’t be surprised to see the front office bring in multiple tight ends this offseason.

Center

The offensive line is set at offensive tackle, but center was the clear weakness of this unit in 2024. Veteran Bradley Bozeman was brought in on a cheap deal, and it didn’t exactly work out. He was regularly the weak link of the offensive line, and it’s time Los Angeles gets younger at this position anyways.

Running back

J.K. Dobbins proved to be a good value pickup, but as we saw, his injury history is quite concerning. While he can’t be relied upon for a full 17-game season, he could be a candidate to come back on a short-term deal. Still, it would be wise to possibly draft a tailback in this year’s deep class, or go back into the free agency pool. That should help this offense be more two-dimensional in 2025, something Harbaugh prefers.

Guard

Zion Johnson is inconsistent at times, but he is still a starter in 2025 on the left side. The team does have a decision to make with his fifth-year option though, so guard may still be a long-term need. On the right side, the team should be looking for reinforcements both through the draft and via free agency. Trey Pipkins III was not good enough, particularly in pass protection, in 2024.

Interior defensive line

Poona Ford is the big name to watch here, as he had a breakout season this year and is set to hit free agency. He was dominant on the inside, particularly in the run game. Even if Ford is brought back, some depth is still needed amongst this unit.

Cornerback

Kristian Fulton and Asante Samuel Jr. are both set to become free agents so the team must decide on those two first and foremost. Beyond that, Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still figure to be in the plans at the position moving forward. The team will need depth, at minimum, at the position still. The front office may even want to consider looking at getting a No. 1 corner in free agency, particularly if they lose both Fulton and Samuel.

Edge defender

This is largely dependent on the fate of Khalil Mack, who is set to turn 34 years old in a little over a month. The veteran is coming off his third consecutive Pro Bowl appearance, and he was phenomenal under Jesse Minter this year. The team should do everything in its power to bring him back, but if they do lose him, this becomes a huge area of concern.

6 players the Chargers need to re-sign this offseason

We explore six of the best Chargers players on expiring contracts who L.A. should re-sign before 2025 NFL free agency begins.

Now that the season is over, the Chargers are turning their attention to building their roster for 2025. The first step is deciding which of their 30 looming free agents they will bring back.

Here are six of them that we want to make sure are re-signed.

EDGE Khalil Mack

The Chargers have made it clear that they would love to have Mack back, but he will now take the time to decide what he would like to do, with retirement being a potential option. Even though he will be 34 years old next season, Mack still has some gas left in the tank. He can still get after the quarterback and defend the run at a high level. Plus, Los Angeles could benefit from having a proven veteran in the edge defender room if the team moves on from Joey Bosa.

RB J.K. Dobbins

The Chargers took a chance on injury-riddled Dobbins, which paid off, as he was highly impactful. For the most part, he stayed healthy throughout the season, showing the player he was in college and during his rookie season. In 13 games, Dobbins rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns. After proving himself, he should return as the team’s primary back.

DL Poona Ford

How Ford wasn’t named a Pro Bowler is beyond me. Ford was a key cog on the defensive line, making his most significant impact against the run, where he was clogging running lanes, taking on double teams, and penetrating the backfield. He was the seventh-best defensive lineman out of 219 in run defense grade (78.8), according to Pro Football Focus. Ford had the fifth-best overall grade among all defensive linemen (85.1)

DL Teair Tart

If the Chargers want to build continuity along the defensive line, something they haven’t done in many years, it would be wise to bring back another key contributor. Tart wreaked havoc, not just against the run, but as a pass rusher. I imagine Tart won’t be as expensive as Ford might be, making this a no-brainer of a re-sign.

S Elijah Molden

Like Tart, Molden is another former Titans player who was signed by the Chargers right before the season and was an excellent player. Molden was a playmaker on the back end before his season-ending injury, finishing with career-highs in tackles (75), interceptions (3) and passes defended (7). His 75.6 PFF overall grade ranked 12th among qualified safeties, and his 75.4 PFF coverage grade was 11th.

S Tony Jefferson

Jefferson went from being retired and serving as a scouting intern for the Ravens to returning to the NFL and making plays for the Chargers every time he played, including the big forced and recovered fumble in the playoff game against the Texans. Even though he will be 33, Jefferson has made it clear that he wants to continue playing, so why not keep the SoCal native? Plus, it would be good to have another veteran in the safety room.

These 30 Chargers players will be free agents as 2025 offseason begins

The Los Angeles Chargers have a handful of notable players scheduled to become free agents in March.

The Chargers’ offseason has begun after losing to the Texans in the wild-card round on Saturday.

Los Angeles has 30 players scheduled to become free agents this March, with 27 set to become unrestricted free agents, which are players with four or more accrued seasons and an expired contract.

L.A. also has two restricted free agents (A player with three accrued seasons and an expired contract) and an exclusive rights free agent (Any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract).

Here’s a list of the team’s 30 pending free agents:

  1. CB Eli Apple
  2. OL Bradley Bozeman
  3. WR DJ Chark
  4. RB J.K. Dobbins
  5. LB Troy Dye
  6. TE Hayden Hurst
  7. WR Simi Fehoko
  8. DL Poona Ford
  9. DL Morgan Fox
  10. CB Kristian Fulton
  11. QB Taylor Heinicke
  12. OL Brenden Jaimes
  13. S Tony Jefferson
  14. EDGE Khalil Mack
  15. S Marcus Maye
  16. S Elijah Molden
  17. OL Sam Mustipher
  18. LB Nick Niemann
  19. WR Joshua Palmer
  20. LB Denzel Perryman
  21. LB Shaq Quarterman
  22. WR Jalen Reagor
  23. EDGE Chris Rumph II
  24. CB Asante Samuel, Jr.
  25. P JK Scott
  26. QB Easton Stick
  27. DL Teair Tart
  28. OL Foster Sarell (RFA)
  29. TE Stone Smartt (RFA)
  30. TE Tucker Fisk (ERFA)

5 players the Chargers must re-sign in 2025

With the regular season over, we look ahead to some guys the Chargers should re-sign this upcoming offseason.

The regular season has come to an end for the Chargers, whom finished the season with an 11-6 record. Now, the attention shifts to the Texans this weekend in the wild card round.

It’s never too early to take a peak ahead to the offseason though, which could begin in as soon as a week. There are five players that the Chargers must re-sign this offseason:

LB Khalil Mack

Set to turn 34 years old in February, Mack turned in another elite season. While his age won’t demand too large of a contract, the Chargers should bring him back on a shorter-term deal with a higher annual number. He’s been elected to the Pro Bowl for the ninth time in his illustrious career, and he’s been a huge reason for the defense’s success in 2024.

RB J.K. Dobbins

Running back remains a need for this Chargers team, and they should most certainly bring Dobbins back next season. The former Raven far exceeded the $1.6 million deal that he signed last offseason. He’ll earn a nicer deal this upcoming offseason, although he still won’t be overly expensive given his injury history. Dobbins finished 2024 with a career-high 905 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

DL Poona Ford

The Chargers’ defensive line doesn’t have any big names on the interior, but they played well all season long. Ford was the best player up front with his ability to stop the run and clog up lanes for opposing offenses. This may be the biggest priority for the Chargers, as he has been one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL in 2024. Pro Football Focus rated him as the fifth-best defensive lineman this season with a 85.1 overall grade.

CB Kristian Fulton

Add Fulton to the list of bargains that the Chargers capitalized on this season. While Fulton certainly had his low moments, he still was well worth the signing. The veteran was helpful in the run game and started 14 games for the best defense in the NFL. While he was inconsistent in coverage at times, he still made several plays with seven passes defended and an interception.

P J.K. Scott

Why not bring back both J.K.’s? The priority on Scott may not be as high as the others on this list, but he was exceptional this season. He consistently helped the Chargers flip field position, as he finished the season with 28 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

Pair of Chargers named to PFF’s top free agents of 2025

The Chargers will have two good players set to hit the market.

Free agency doesn’t start for another two and a half months, and the Chargers’ primary focus is playing beyond the regular season. However, they will eventually have to retool their roster for the future, which will involve deciding whether to re-sign some of their own players.

Among the crop of soon-to-be unrestricted free agents who will take the highest priority are edge defender Khalil Mack and cornerback Asante Samuel. Mack and Samuel were named to Pro Football Focus’ early list of the top 50 free agents of 2025.

Mack checked in at No. 5, with his top free agent comparison being Von Miller in 2022.

Mack has enjoyed a late-career resurgence over the past two seasons, proving he can still be a force as a pass-rusher and a run defender. His 88 quarterback pressures in 2023 marked his highest total since 2016, and his 86.3 PFF pass-rushing grade was his best since 2020. Mack’s situation entering free agency is eerily reminiscent of Von Miller‘s back in 2022, as his six-year, $120 million contract with the Buffalo Bills was more like three years and $52.5 million, in reality.

Despite being 33, Mack has shown that he can play at a high level. He’s nowhere near his career-high 17 sacks that he totaled in 2023, but Mack can still get after the quarterback, currently with 43 pressures and six sacks. He’s also impactful as a run defender. His PFF grade is 88.6 in that department.

Samuel came in at No. 26 and was compared to DJ Reed in 2022.

After posting PFF coverage grades of 75.6 or better in each of the past two years, Samuel struggled early in his first year with defensive coordinator Jesse Minter at the helm but played just four games before being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Likewise, Samuel’s tackling woes — a problem that’s reared its head throughout his career — were exacerbated, with the cornerback missing a whopping 22.2% of attempts. That said, Samuel’s youth, pedigree and experience will still be very appealing.

Samuel has spent most of this season on the sidelines while dealing with a shoulder injury. Over his first three seasons, he was solid in coverage, finishing with 11 passes defended during that time. However, Samuel has struggled in run defense.

Only 25 years old, a team, even if it’s not the Chargers, will give up the money for his youth and ball production.