The Chargers weren’t as active as other NFL teams during the first wave of free agency. The signed a pair of new players, while re-signing a few of their own.
Los Angeles started the offseason right in the middle of the pack in terms of money available to be spent with $22.3 million. Now, L.A. is currently on the lower end after the various moves that they made last week, as they stand between $11 and 14 million.
Over The Cap has the Bolts listed having $11.8 million, while Spotrac has them slotted with $14.1 million to work with throughout the rest of free agency.
Instead of being patient and waiting for the second tier of free agents to come around like they’re notorious for, the Chargers jumped on linebacker Thomas Davis and quarterback Tyrod Taylor, signing them to reasonable deals right off the bat.
In between both of those acquisitions, general manager Tom Telesco and company gained some money by releasing safety Jahleel Addae and using some of it to bring back notable players with linebacker Denzel Perryman, defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and safeties Adrian Phillips and Jaylen Watkins.
Now, Los Angeles is in a bit of a predicament as they’re low in cash, knowing they have other positions needed to be addressed and players that are on the bubble.
Re-signing defensive tackle Darius Philon is atop of that list, but there has been none to very little activity in where the two parties are at. The team could create more space by releasing someone like wide receiver Travis Benjamin, who has a $6.5 million cap hit in 2019.
The bottom line is that while the Chargers are sitting on the lower end of the spectrum, there is a way they can dig themselves of the hole, which would require some spring cleaning of their own. But if they elect to sit back and let things pan itself out, the draft will have plenty of options.
