Free agency, along with the start of the new league year, begins on March 11. The Chargers are currently second in the league with available cap space ($88,150,325) behind only the Tennessee Titans and just ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chargers have 26 players set to be free agents when the new league year arrives. That group is headed by the likes of pass rushers Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack, along with offensive guard Zion Johnson. So even though the team looks like they’re flush with cash
to add new names to the roster, a good chunk may end up being used to retain someone like Oweh and maybe even Johnson if the team does not wish to entirely revamp the interior starting trio.
Joe Hortiz getting the new contract done for defensive tackle Teair Tart done early and keeping the team’s best interior defender off the market was smart and helped clear up the offseason picture that much more. But even with all this money, Hortiz has not been known to be a big spender in the offseason. The Chargers had a similar amount of space last offseason and they kept their cash in hand in favor of low-cost, low-risk deals that included running back Najee Harris and offensive guard Mekhi Becton.
There’s a ton of work to be done with both in-house and outside free agents. In a worst-case scenario, the Chargers may have to replace two of their top three pass rushers while revamping their entire interior offensive line. If that’s the case, that cap total is going to shrink with haste. That’s how quick things can change depending on how the dominos fall over the next few weeks.
From now through the months of March and April, keep it right here for all the rumors and reports coming out regarding the Chargers and free agency.
Latest rumors and reports
- The Chargers are expected to release offensive guard Mekhi Becton “in the coming days,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
