Tag: poona ford

Derwin James reveals Chargers’ biggest needs this offseason

Derwin James identified the trenches and wide receiver as the Chargers’ biggest positions of need heading into the offseason.

It’s no secret that the Chargers are a few moves away from becoming legitimate contenders in 2025. With over $65 million in cap space, the front office has the resources to improve this team this offseason.

Most of its issues come on the offensive side of the ball, as the Chargers had the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL in 2024. On Micah Parsons’ podcast, safety Derwin James reflected on which positions the team should go after this offseason:

“Like you say, you know, it starts in the trenches. We gotta secure the trenches and then get the guys on the outside that are gonna catch the ball and go do it and make plays.”

James is not wrong, as the interior offensive line and wide receiver are arguably the two most significant needs for this team. The defensive line remains a mystery as well, given the fact that Poona Ford is a free agent.

Ford was the unit’s best player in 2024, so it would be wise for the front office to do whatever they can to re-sign him. Center and right guard were liabilities along the offensive line this past season, so that’s where the front office will look to address.

The other three spots along the offensive line are locked down with young studs. Whether it be through the draft or free agency, there’s no doubt that the team will be going hard after the wide receiver position. A trade could even be a possibility, such as Cooper Kupp.

There’s nothing wrong with what James said, as he spoke nothing but facts. The veteran defensive back is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. As a result, he earned his fourth trip to the Pro Bowl.

What does Chargers DL Poona Ford’s projected free agent contract look like?

Poona Ford was a beast up front, and he should be one of the Chargers’ priorities to bring back.

With Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford set to become a free agent this offseason, what could his next contract be?

Pro Football Focus recently made a projection for Ford and the other top 100 free agents this offseason.

According to PFF, they are projecting that Ford will land a one-year deal with $3.5 million. This includes $1.5 million guaranteed.

Signed last offseason, Ford had a resurgent season under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Ford, the man in the middle of the defensive line, was integral in stopping the run. His 80.3 PFF run-defense grade ranked third among interior defenders. He also had 25 quarterback pressures.

PFF’s projection for Ford seems a little low, considering how great he played in 2024. Instead, he might garner a contract worth $14 million-$16 million per year, as he should be one of the top defensive tackles on the market.

While the price might be a bit high for some, Ford should be a top priority for the Chargers. The team is well-stocked in salary cap space, so they should be able to afford him.

Chargers’ studs and duds from the 2024 season

The Chargers made the playoffs in the first season under Jim Harbaugh, which should set the stage for bigger expectations moving forward.

All things considered, it was a successful 2024 season for the Chargers. Jim Harbaugh’s first year with the squad went even better than expected, and the future is bright with this squad.

This team could be a few moves away from being legitimate contenders in 2025. Before we look ahead to the offseason more though, it’s time to look back at the studs and duds from this season.

Stud: DT Poona Ford

What a breakout season for the 29-year-old. The defense took a big step forward in 2024, and Ford’s addition was instrumental. In the regular season, the veteran racked up three sacks, eight tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, his first career interception, and five pass deflections. Entering this season, he had four career pass deflections in six NFL seasons and he surpassed that number in 2024 alone. Ford was dominant in stopping the run and he’s a guy that the Chargers must re-sign this offseason.

Dud: Joey Bosa

Simply put, it was a disappointing season for the four-time Pro Bowler. Bosa recorded just 5.5 sacks in 14 games, the worst number in a season in which he’s played at least six games. He missed just three games this year, but it was clear that he wasn’t the same throughout the season. As a result, Bosa is a legitimate cap casualty candidate this offseason as the Chargers can save a lot of money by moving on from him.

Stud: WR Ladd McConkey

What a rookie season for the Georgia product. McConkey was even better than advertised and was able to eclipse the 100-yard mark an impressive four times. The playmaker finished with 82 catches, 1,149 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns on the year. McConkey established himself as the team’s best wideout and should have a bright future in Los Angeles

Dud: Asante Samuel Jr.

Injuries got the best of Samuel in 2024, which limited him to just four games. He was quite durable in his first three NFL seasons in which he played in 47 games. Even when he was healthy, Samuel wasn’t the same playmaker that we have become accustomed to. Now, his future in Los Angeles is up in the air as he’s scheduled to hit free agency. Not only may Samuel be a bit too pricey, but the Chargers have a few young corners that stepped up and played well this season.

Stud: OT Joe Alt

Why not highlight another rookie? The class looks to be a stellar one after one season, and these two have a lot to do with that. Alt was superb in his first NFL season, which helped the Chargers form one of the best offensive tackle duos in football. For all of the criticism on the team not taking a wideout with the fifth overall pick, Alt proved to be well worth it. Along with Rashawn Slater, this team is built to protect quarterback Justin Herbert for a long time and Alt is a big reason for that. The Notre Dame product was particularly exceptional in pass protection, which will be crucial to keeping Herbert healthy in the future.

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.

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)

2025 Free Agency: Former Longhorns star, UDFA, projected as great fit for Cowboys defense

The Cowboys D-line has had a perennial problem stopping the run and the front office is averse to spending money on the problem. Perfect storm signing.

The Dallas Cowboys aren’t known to be big spenders in free agency, and there’s little reason to think the 2025 offseason will be much different. The Cowboys don’t trust outsiders, a vibe that has seeped into their head coaching search as they have an opportunity to interview some of the league’s creative young minds, but instead seem content to run things back with head coach Mike McCarthy.

Once the dust settles on whom the club will have leading the team, the next focus will be on free agency. While other clubs will be looking for big-ticket items to fill their holes first, the Cowboys are likely going to again bargain shop for players who could  make an impact for far lower costs.

Dallas will check for solutions internally first, among their pending free agents, but they will eventually look externally for budget fits. One such player could be an interior defensive presence who spent his collegiate years in state, at the University of Texas.

Pro Football Focus recently suggested DT Poona Ford should be the top free agent target for the Cowboys.

With the Cowboys finishing the regular season 29th in defensive EPA per play, 21st in success rate and 30th in team PFF run-defense grade, it’s clear that Dallas needs to invest more on that side of the ball. The team’s defensive line could get a makeover with DeMarcus Lawrence and Osa Odighizuwa set to hit the market, plus Mazi Smith potentially being on the trade block.

Ford isn’t one of the most touted free agents, but he had a terrific resurgence with the Chargers. His 85.1 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked fifth among qualified defensive linemen, while his 78.8 PFF run-defense grade placed sixth. Even if Dallas can keep Odighizuwa, adding the 29-year-old Ford would make for a great tandem on the inside.

Ford was originally an undrafted free agent, signing with the Seattle Seahawks after not being selected in the 2018 exercise. He spent the first five years of his career in the Pacific Northwest, he’s been a full-time starter in all but two of his seven seasons in the league. This year he tied three different career highs in sacks (3), tackles for loss (8) and QB hits (9) while being a dominant run stuffer; something Dallas has lacked for a long time.

At just 29 years old, he presumably has some tread on his tires, and he has yet to command much of a salary historically. There’s only been one year in his seven seasons where he’s had a cap hit over $2.7 million; right up Stephen Jones’ alley.

Statistical Breakdown: How the Chargers and Texans stack up before wild-card playoff game

The Texans have struggled at keeping their quarterback clean, but they’ve also generated a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks

The Chargers and Texans are set to square off this Saturday, with both teams looking to advance to the divisional round.

Here’s how Los Angeles and Houston stack up statistically on both sides of the ball ahead of the wild-card matchup:

Offense

Category Chargers Texans
Points per game 23.6 ppg (11th) 21.9 ppg (19th)
Passing offense 213.5 ypg (19th) 207.4 ypg (21st)
Rushing offense 110.7 ypg (17th) 112.3 ypg (15th)
Total offense 324.2 ypg (20th) 319.7 ypg (22nd)
3rd down conversions 40.27% (11th) 37.66% (20th)
Red zone scoring 56.00% (18th) 49.12% (26th)
Sacks allowed 44 (19th) 54 (29th)
Turnovers 9 (2nd) 19 (12th)

Defense

Category Chargers Texans
Points allowed 17.7 ppg (1st) 21.9 ppg (14th)
Passing defense 206.9 ypg (7th) 201.0 ypg (6th)
Rushing defense 117.5 ypg (14th) 114.0 ypg (11th)
Total defense 324.4 ypg (11th) 315.0 ypg (6th)
3rd down conversions 35.71% (5th) 35.91% (7th)
Red zone defense 45.00% (1st) 63.64% (27th)
Sacks 46 (6th) 49 (4th)
Takeaways 21 (13th) 29 (5th)

 

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.

Where the Chargers rank statistically ahead of Week 18

The Chargers have found a spark offensively while continuing to boast one of the league’s top defenses.

The Chargers head into the regular season finale on Sunday with a 10-6 record and a spot in the playoffs locked up.

Los Angeles has found its spark on the offensive side of the ball in recent weeks while continuing to boast one of the league’s best defenses.

With Week 18 coming up, how do the Bolts compare to the rest of the NFL? Here is where Los Angeles ranks:

Offense

Category Stat Rank
Points per game 23.0 ppg 12th
Passing offense 205.8 ypg 21st
Rushing offense 109.1 ypg 18th
Total offense 314.9 ypg 23rd
3rd down conversions 39.61% 14th
Red zone scoring 56.82% 16th
Sacks allowed 43 19th
Turnovers 9 2nd

Defense

Category Stat Rank
Points allowed 17.6 ppg 1st
Passing defense 205.8 ypg 8th
Rushing defense 122.4 ypg 16th
Total defense 328.1 ypg 12th
3rd down conversions 36.28% 9th
Red zone defense 44.74% 1st
Sacks 46 6th
Takeaways 20 13th