NFL free agency targets for Chargers playing in Super Bowl 59

Here are some pending free agents the Chargers could target from Chiefs and Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

The biggest game of the year is here, as the Philadelphia Eagles are set to clash with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59.

While many around the world are gathering around to watch the contest for entertainment purposes, teams across the league are using this as a part of their evaluation process for the offseason.

For the Chargers, they are primed to be aggressive this free agency as they are projected to have over $60 million in salary cap space.

With that, here are a few players that Chargers fans should have their eyes on.

Chiefs

  • OL Trey Smith
  • EDGE Charles Omenihu
  • DT Derrick Nnadi
  • WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
  • WR Justin Watson
  • EDGE Joshua Uche

Eagles

  • OL Mekhi Becton
  • EDGE Josh Sweat
  • DT Milton Williams
  • RB Kenneth Gainwell

Cam Newton wouldn’t trade his MVP award for a Super Bowl ring

Cam Newton said he wouldn’t trade his NFL MVP award for a Super Bowl ring, noting that Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer and Nick Foles won titles.

Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton had a brilliant season in 2015, totaling 4,473 yards from scrimmage and scoring 45 touchdowns. He took home NFL MVP honors following that impressive campaign.

In the Super Bowl, though, Newton and the Panthers were dominated by Von Miller and the Denver Broncos, who won 24-10. During a recent interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on First Take, Newton said he would not trade his MVP award for a Super Bowl ring.

“Let me remind you — Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl,” Newton said. “Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl. Respectfully, Nick Foles won a Super Bowl. So, yes, when you look at those guys and you say, ‘What’s more important? Would you have preferred to win a Super Bowl?’ I think that’s a humble approach.”

Newton went completed 18-of-41 passes for 265 yards with one interception and two fumbles in Carolina’s loss to Denver in Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season. He’d rather have that result than give up his MVP award, which is an interesting choice.

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Twitter reacts to NFL Network putting Myles Garrett’s name for Pat Surtain

Hey NFL Network, that’s Pat Surtain, not Myles Garrett.

Denver Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain was named the NFL’s 2024 Defensive Player of the Year during NFL Honors on Thursday evening after finishing with 330 points in Associated Press voting.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Trey Hendrickson was second with 205 points and Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett was third with 162 points.

Although Surtain lapped the competition, the NFL Network and Fox broadcast must have mistakenly prepared for Garett to win the award.

During Surtain’s acceptance speech on Thursday, the broadcast displayed Garett’s name on the screen below PS2. Here’s a sampling of how fans on Twitter/X reacted to the mix-up during the show:

Here is Surtain’s acceptance speech:

Surtain, 24, is the seventh cornerback to ever win the award and the second Bronco in franchise history to take home the honor, joining Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Randy Gradishar (1978).

Surtain is also the first cornerback to win DPOY and have two first-team All-Pro selections within his first four seasons in the NFL. Garrett won DPOY in 2023, but it was PS2 who took home the honor on Thursday.

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Pat Surtain makes NFL history with Defensive Player of the Year award

Pat Surtain is just the seventh cornerback to win Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s the second Bronco, joining Randy Gradishar (1978).

Denver Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain has been named the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced during NFL Honors on Thursday evening.

Surtain, 24, is just the seventh cornerback to ever win the award and the second Bronco in franchise history to take home the honor, joining Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Randy Gradishar (1978).

The previous six cornerbacks to win the award were Stephon Gilmore (2019), Charles Woodson (2009), Deion Sanders (1994), Rod Woodson (1993), Lester Hayes (1980) and Mel Blount (1975). Of those defensive backs, only Gilmore (an active player) and Hayes are not in the Hall of Fame.

Surtain also earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2024, becoming the third cornerback in club history to receive that honor multiple times, joining Louis Wright and Champ Bailey.

PS2 ranked first in passing yards allowed (306), yards allowed per coverage snap (0.6) and target rate (10.9) in 2024 among qualified cornerbacks (at 400 coverage snaps), according to NFL NextGen Stats.

Surtain totaled four interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 2024, marking his fourth-straight year with double-digit PBUs. His four takeaways tied a career-high, and his 100-yard pick-six last fall was a career-long.

Surtain is widely considered the best cornerback in the NFL, and this season, he was the best defensive player in the league.

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Jayden Daniels wins Offensive Rookie of the Year over Bo Nix

Jayden Daniels won the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award over Bo Nix. Both QBs appear to have bright futures in the NFL.

It’s no surprise, but it’s now official: Jayden Daniels is the NFL’s 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, as voted on by the Associated Press.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history in 2024, but Daniels was even better. The Washington Commanders’ rookie ended the regular season with a 12-5 record and then helped his team reach the NFC Championship game. Quite an impressive first season in the NFL.

Nix completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns against 12 interceptions this season. Daniels posted a 69% completion rate with 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Nix was sacked 24 times and fumbled three times. Daniels was sacked 47 times and fumbled five times. On the ground, Nix totaled 430 rushing yards, 41 first downs and four touchdowns. Daniels rushed for 891 yards, 55 first downs and six scores, clearly separating from Nix in that category.

Nix also caught a touchdown pass in 2024, a feat that Daniels did not match. Both QBs deserve recognition for their impressive rookie seasons, and they appear to have bright futures in the NFL.

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NFL Honors 2025: Start time, TV channel, live stream and awards

NFL Honors will air on Fox and NFL Network tonight.

The 2025 NFL Honors awards show will be held at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans on Thursday, Feb. 6. Hosted by Snoop Dogg, the two-hour event will recognize the top players and coaches from the 2024 NFL season.

NFL Honors will air live at 9 p.m. ET on the east coast, but the awards show will not be televised live in all time zones (check your local listings in your area). The show will be nationally televised on Fox and NFL Network and available to stream on FuboTV (try it free).

The Denver Broncos are candidates for 10 awards this season, including Coach of the Year (Sean Payton), Offensive Rookie of the Year (Bo Nix) and Defensive Player of the Year (Pat Surtain).

2025 NFL Honors

What: 2025 NFL Honors awards show
When: Thursday, Feb. 6
Time: 9 p.m. ET (not live in all areas)
TV: Fox, NFL Network
Live stream: FuboTV (try it free)
Awards: Listed below

View the full list of awards that will be announced during NFL Honors below.

NFL Honors 2025 awards

  • AP Most Valuable Player
  • AP Coach of the Year
  • AP Comeback Player of the Year
  • AP Offensive Player of the Year
  • AP Defensive Player of the Year
  • AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
  • AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
  • Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
  • Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
  • NFL Inspire Change Tribute
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024
  • FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year
  • Salute to Service Award
  • NFL Latino Youth Honors
  • Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
  • Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award
  • AP Assistant Coach of the Year
  • NFL Fan of the Year
  • NFL FLAG Players of the Year
  • Celebrations of the Year

Following the awards show on Thursday, the Philadelphia Eagles will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday.

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Full list of awards announced during 2025 NFL Honors

Here is the full list of awards that will be announced during NFL Honors tonight.

The 2025 NFL Honors show will be held at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans on Thursday, Feb. 6.

NFL Honors will be hosted by Snoop Dogg with the show set to air live at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT (the program will not air live in all time zones). The show will be nationally televised on Fox and NFL Network and available to stream on FuboTV (try it free).

View the full list of the awards and honors that will be announced below.

NFL Honors 2025 awards

  • AP Most Valuable Player
  • AP Coach of the Year
  • AP Comeback Player of the Year
  • AP Offensive Player of the Year
  • AP Defensive Player of the Year
  • AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
  • AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
  • Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
  • Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
  • NFL Inspire Change Tribute
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024
  • FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year
  • Salute to Service Award
  • NFL Latino Youth Honors
  • Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
  • Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award
  • AP Assistant Coach of the Year
  • NFL Fan of the Year
  • NFL FLAG Players of the Year
  • Celebrations of the Year

The Denver Broncos have three nominees for major awards this season, including Defensive Player of the Year favorite Pat Surtain.

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Peyton Manning gives his take on Bo Nix’s rookie season

Peyton Manning said the “sky’s the limit” for Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, and Coach Manning wishes Nix had been able to attend the Pro Bowl.

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was in Orlando last week to coach the AFC squad at the 2025 Pro Bowl.

While speaking to media members at the Pro Bowl, Manning gave his take on rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s first season with Sean Payton.

“Bo played great,” Manning said, via DenverSports.com’s Andrew Mason. “He and Sean — Sean being the play caller —  like I said, good continuity. Same system all year. Some of these rookie quarterbacks had two different play-callers in their first years. So, Bo benefited from a good system with Sean and good rapport with his receivers and played at a real high level.”

Nix, a fourth alternate, had a chance to be added to the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster but he declined due to a pre-planned surgery.

“[He] had a chance to be down here,” Manning said, via Mason. “I wish he could have come down here. I think it would have benefited him to be around pros like Joe Burrow. So, anyway, he’s — great first year and sky’s the limit, I think, for him.”

Nix had one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history, finishing the year with a 66.3% completion rate, totaling 3,775 passing yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 430 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. Nix appears to have a bright future in the NFL, and he’ll likely join Manning at a future Pro Bowl.

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Broncos lose a top executive to Raiders

The Broncos have lost executive Mark Thewes to the Raiders. He is the eighth staff member to leave Denver, including two who were fired.

The Las Vegas Raiders have poached a top executive from the Denver Broncos.

The Raiders hired former Broncos executive Mark Thewes as their new SVP of football operations and strategy on Tuesday. The news was first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and later confirmed by the team.

Thewes most recently served as Denver’s vice president of football operations and compliance. Before that, he served as director of team administration. Thewes originally joined the team when Josh McDaniels was hired as a head coach in 2009. He previously worked for the Cleveland Browns before joining the Broncos.

Thewes lasted in Denver well beyond the McDaniels era, a testament of the value he provided at the club.

The new Las Vegas general manager, John Spytek, worked with Thewes in Denver from 2013-2015. They will now be reunited in the Raiders’ front office.

Thewes is the eighth staff member to leave the Broncos this offseason, joining Ben Kotwica (fired), Greg Manusky (fired), Darren Mougey, Chris Banjo, Declan Doyle, John Morton and David Shaw.

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6 potential Chargers targets that stood out at Senior Bowl

The Chargers selected five Senior Bowl participants in last year’s draft. Here’s a look at who could be next in line to be taken by Los Angeles.

Now that the 2025 Senior Bowl, the premier all-star game for NFL draft prospects, is over, it is time to reflect on the meaning of the week.

Which players helped themselves the most throughout their time in Mobile, AL, and likely garnered the attention of the Chargers?

Here are six prospects on both sides of the ball.

EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

The Chargers could address the edge defender position in the first round, depending on what happens with Khalil Mack, who is set to be a free agent. If they were to go that route, Green could be an option to draft and contribute as a pass rusher from the get-go. The nation’s leader in sacks, Green has a knack for winning with speed off the edge, bend, and various counters. But he raised eyebrows with his power profile on a rep where he put Oregon’s Josh Conerly (another potential top-30 selection) on the ground with a bull rush.

RB Damien Martinez, Miami

The Chargers should prioritize re-signing J.K. Dobbins, but Gus Edwards could be a potential cut candidate as he struggled to stay healthy in 2024. Should they go that route, Martinez is a great option to fill that void. He is a big, physical running back with good lateral agility and vision that gets downhill quickly and can wear defenses down. Martinez caught the ball well and was arguably the best back in pass-protection drills.

TE Elijah Arroyo, Miami

The Chargers need to add a tight end with pass-catching chops, and luckily for them, this class offers a multitude of them, including Arroyo. Arroyo flashed his route running agility, the ability to run past defensive backs and sticky hands to haul in passes. He blocked well, too.

DT Darius Alexander, Toledo

The Chargers should try to bring back Poona Ford and Teair Tartt. But this positional room still needs pass-rush juice. The 6-foot-4 and 304-pounder was unblockable in one-on-ones in team drills, making life difficult for blockers with a combination of upper body power, length (34-inch arms) and quickness. Alexander showed versatility in lining up all along the defensive line, as well.

WR Jack Bech, TCU

The Chargers must revamp the receiver room and give Justin Herbert more reliable targets. Bech played tight end at LSU before transferring to TCU. He might not be the fastest guy, but he showed the physicality and good routes to make himself open, and he flashed his great hands. He’s not Puka Nacua, but Bech plays a lot like Puka Nacua.

OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

The interior of the offensive line is a question mark for the Chargers. Center Bradley Bozeman is a free agent. Right guard Trey Pipkins did not show enough promise to be guaranteed a starting job next season. Zabel lined up at both guard and center, where he showed the play strength, hand placement and lower half mobility to stand up against Power 4 defensive linemen.