Acquiring offensive line help should be a top priority for the Chargers during the offseason. With quarterback Philip Rivers rising in age, he should not be expected to succeed behind poor play up front.
Right tackle Sam Tevi is the player that needs to be replaced the most, as he struggled in pass protection. Aside from being a decent run-blocker, it’s not enough to help Los Angeles make a deep run next season. Along with Tevi, guard Dan Feeney had a sophomore slump senior, failing to keep defensive tackles in front of him.
With that, L.A. will likely be addressing the offensive tackle and the interior part of the offensive line. And they are no slouches at bringing offensive linemen, as they have signed one the past two years with left tackle Russell Okung and center Mike Pouncey.
Despite this being a weaker crop of free agents to choose from, here are four offensive linemen that the Chargers should consider signing.
Rodger Saffold | Rams | OG
The Chargers could look in their backyard for a possible option with Rodger Saffold. Saffold has played four different positions during his NFL career. Capable of playing tackle and guard, Saffold could appeal as a replacement for Tevi or Feeney.
Saffold finished the year with a run-blocking grade of 72.8, ranking No. 4 out of 88 qualifying guards. He excelled in pass protection, as he allowed only 25 total pressures (17 hurries, five hits, three sacks) on 608 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
After his solid seasons with the Rams, he won’t be cheap. Nonetheless, the 30-year old Saffold is a veteran who could join the line as a stop-gap while the Bolts develop their rookie offensive lineman that they will likely draft in April.
Trent Brown | Patriots | OT
Brown is not a stranger to the Chargers. The 26-year old offensive tackle recently shut down defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram in the AFC Divisional Round last month. With the Patriots notorious for not paying their free agents, Brown could likely hit the market.
Brown was a nice surprise in his first year with New England, who pulled off a draft-day trade with the 49ers in 2017. The 6-foot-8 and 365 pounder possesses size like no other.
Brown will turn 26 soon, so he is still in his prime. He had a solid regular season replacing Nate Solder, who’s now with the Giants. His success transitioning from right tackle in San Francisco to left tackle will make him a hot commodity, but he had his fair share of hiccups with 35 pressures allowed.
If he becomes a free agent, Los Angeles would be able to plug him back to the position he started when he got drafted in 2015, replacing Tevi.
Ja’Wuan James | Dolphins | OT
The Chargers resorted to Miami to pick up center Mike Pouncey and could be intrigued to bring in another player from there. James is 26 going on 27, and he has started 62 games in the past five seasons and held up very well.
After allowing 40 total pressures in 16 games played during 2016, James allowed just 38 in 23 games spread over the last two seasons.
James will be the top right tackle in free agency and, because he is still in his prime, will demand a big money contract. But it would give them a plug-and-play RT for a few years and save them from selecting one early in the 2019 NFL draft.
Ramon Foster | Steelers | OG
Foster may not be one of the more flashing guards likely to hit free agency. But he has proven to be reliable and durable for Steelers since being brought into the league in 2019.
He’s been a fixture in the starting lineup, making starts in 119 starts of the last 120 games that he has played. Foster had a down year in 2017 but came back with an overall grade of 69.1 in 2018 that ranked No. 6 among 37 qualifying left guards.
Being 33 years old, Foster wouldn’t be a long-term solution for Los Angele. But it would bring veteran presence and would allow them to figure out the situation with the interior part of the offensive line with Feeney hoping to rebound and Forrest Lamp looking to find a spot in the starting lineup.
Most importantly, it wouldn’t cost them that much on a low cost, short term deal.
