The Chargers, as well as the other 31 other teams in the league, are nearly a month away from the new year league in March. This means that it will begin the start of the 2019 free agency frenzy.
Los Angeles will have slightly above $20 million in available salary cap space, which is below the league average for each team. At first, it doesn’t sound too promising, but the Bolts could resort to cutting some underwhelming players to create additional room.
General manager Tom Telesco has nailed free agency with at least one slam dunk signing each of the past couple offseasons. Hoping to solidify a bolstered roster, Telesco and the rest of the front office will have their sights on doing so again.
With that being said, here are eight potential targets for the Chargers in free agency.
Note: This list will expand as we do breakdowns of each position before free agency kicks off next month.
Rodger Saffold | OL | Rams
Saffold has played four different positions during his NFL career. Capable of playing tackle and guard, Saffold could appeal as a replacement for Sam Tevi or guard Dan Feeney, depending on how the team feels about the former Indiana product. Saffold is a veteran who could join the line as a stop-gap while the Chargers develop their rookie offensive lineman that they will likely draft in April.
Ja’Wuan James | OT | Dolphins
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 been a starter for the entirety of his five-year stint other than the two seasons he’s missed with injuries. He isn’t likely to be cheap, but it would give them a plug-and-play right tackle for a few years and save them from selecting one early in the draft.
Grady Jarrett | DT | Falcons
Jarrett will be a hot commodity if the Falcons decide to move on from him. Likely to be the best available interior defensive lineman, he turns 26 in April, showing that there’s plenty of gas left in the tank. He had six sacks, eight tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits in 2018. He had four sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 2017. Jarrett would offer reliability as a pass rusher and run defender, where he’d line up as the one-technique.
Margus Hunt | DL | Colts
Hunt is 32 years old, but he’s playing like he’s at the prime of his career. A starter for the first time in his career, Hunt amassed five sacks in 15 games. His 6-foot-8 and 298 pound frame is appealing is appealing because he would be a versatile piece along the defensive line.
C.J. Mosley | LB | Ravens
Linebacker Denzel Perryman’s future is up in the air after showing the inability to stay healthy on a consistent basis. If Mosley doesn’t get tagged by Baltimore, the price to bring him in as the team’s new MIKE is worth it. He is a playmaking LB who brings leadership qualities. Mosley has amassed over 100 combined tackles four times in his career with 8.5 sacks and nine interceptions.
Pierre Desir | CB | Colts
The cornerback position is a bigger need than most people realize. CB Jason Verrett could be finding a new team, there will be some concerns of durability with Trevor Williams and Michael Davis isn’t a reliable long-term starter. Desir would be a perfect fit for the defense because of how well he played in Indianapolis’ heavy-zone scheme. His size, length, and physicality should entice the Chargers.
George Iloka | S | Vikings
Illoka was surprisingly let go by the Bengals before the start of the 2018 season and signed by the Vikings. He appeared in all 16 games and made three starts. He ended the year with 16 tackles and one forced fumble. He has recorded 359 tackles, 32 passes defensed, nine interceptions and three forced fumbles in his career. The 6-foot-4 and 225-pound safety is still just 28 years old and has talent, both in terms of excelling in coverage and defending the run.
John Brown | WR | Ravens
If the Chargers elect to move on from the deep threat wideout Travis Benjamin, they could replace him with Brown, who presents a similar skillset. Near the top of the league at yards per reception, Brown would be a great vertical option for the Bolts.
