2023 Official Roster Build Thread - The Initial 53 / Practice Squad

[21&500]

Jalen Guyton is a free agent. No word on his re-hab that I know about.
JCJ's patellar-rupture is usually an injury that players have a hard time coming back from. When they do... they usually aren't the same.

TT mentioned on the Pat Mcafee show today that the 3rd-and-long defense was a concern all year long.
He also mentioned that not being able to convert 3rd downs on offense (particularly running the ball) was a concern...

TT looked rather sheepish when Mcafee suggested that TT might be looking for a slot corner in the draft...

Poker faces on people!

[Boltnut]

Poker faces on people!

Tight cap... can't bring Callahan back. JCJ ruptured his patellar... probably start the year on the PUP. Michael Davis is on his last year of his contract...
I can't imagine any of the league's GM's don't know we're interested in a slot corner...

[Boltnut]

Help me out here...FA begins March 15th...but can we negotiate/sign our own impending FAs before then? I mean, they arent free til March 15, it would basically be an extension, and that happens all the time. So Im surprised we have not heard ANYTHING about a single one of our players who are up...am I missing something here?

First order of business is to get cap compliant. Right now, they're $20 million over the cap.
A re-structure of either Joey or MW (or KA)... and a cut to Feiler/Hopkins... makes them compliant.
Another re-structure to either Boey/KA/MW gives them enough cap space to sign the draft class and have enough in-season cap to sign FA's when players go down due to injury.

For the record... I don't think any significant FA's will be re-signed. I think Pipkins, Tranquill, Callahan, KVN, and Fox will be replaced via the draft

[Bolt4Knob]

First order of business is to get cap compliant. Right now, they're $20 million over the cap.
A re-structure of either Joey or MW (or KA)... and a cut to Feiler/Hopkins... makes them compliant.
Another re-structure to either Boey/KA/MW gives them enough cap space to sign the draft class and have enough in-season cap to sign FA's when players go down due to injury.

For the record... I don't think any significant FA's will be re-signed. I think Pipkins, Tranquill, Callahan, KVN, and Fox will be replaced via the draft

The way I look at it -- the Chargers will move about $37m of cap space. I am being conservative. Meaning - they will get cap compliant and have 17m left.
3m to sign picks
7m for the season and draft class

That leaves $7m. They can sign Tranq and Fox for 7m of cap space - maybe a bit less

But remember, minimum level guys like Callahan, Fox from last year - really do not add much to the cap when the roster already is at 51/53. And players on the veteran minimum are cheap cap hits.

The biggest reason I personally suggest moving on from Bosa and Allen this year (besides the ability to create cap space) - is to create a deeper roster than keeping the those two but losing a bunch of depth like Pip, Fox, Tranquil, KVN and relying on rookies and behind them UDFAs

[dmac_bolt]

I would re-structure Joey and Mike Williams (both are younger and have more guaranteed money for 2024).
I would cut Keenan and Mack at the end of 2023 (both of their contracts are structured with small dead cap hits in 2024). Cutting both after 2023 frees up $46 million in 2024. Money that can be used to re-sign Herbert (and a number of others).

Keenan's dead cap is "only" $2.7 million against the 2024 cap. And Mack's dead cap is "only" $4.5 million against the 2024 cap.

Even after re-structuring Bosa and Williams... there is $34 million in cap space for 2024. Cutting Keenan and Mack gives you another $46 million. That's $80 million of cap space for 2024.

Other things to do:
Cut Hopkins and Feiler (since you already have their replacements in Salyer and Dicker).
Re-sign: ERFA Dicker, JK Scott (have to have a punter)
And your roster is up to 53.

Cap space:
2023 = $7.8 million
2024 = $39.9 million (with an additional $46 million available when you cut KA and KM)

The 7 draft picks will inevitably take the spots of the bottom 7 on the existing 53-man roster. I think Cmplxgal said this would cost about $3.5 million. That brings 2023's cap down to $4.3 million. TT probably wants a little more room than that. But an extension to Vato (and his $9.4 cap hit) could easily take care of that. If you extend Vato, it probably saves you $4 million on 2023's cap... but costs you $6 million on 2024's cap.

All said and done... $8.3 million space in 2023 (after draft class is signed), 53 on the roster. $79 million in cap space in 2024... without KA and Mack (but extended Vato) would bring the roster up to 33 after draft class. You could re-sign Herbert ($30 million in 2024)... roster up to 34 and still have $49 million left on your 2024 cap.

The other thing you have to consider when letting Pipkins, Callahan, Tranquill, and Fox walk away via FA... is you're going to get comp picks for those departures.

Our Rd1 pick will be in the bottom 7 on the roster? Sure hope not … definitely not in terms of cap cost, Rd1 rookies get paid a lot more than the league min, which is the bottom 15-20 on the roster.

[dmac_bolt]

Given the guaranteed team revenue, I doubt Dean cannot get a secured loan to fund Herbie’s guaranteed salary. I don’t think that will be an issue stopping them from signing him long term, and i do think they sign him long term. I just don’t know. If it will be 2023 or 2024.

[Boltjolt]

Our Rd1 pick will be in the bottom 7 on the roster? Sure hope not … definitely not in terms of cap cost, Rd1 rookies get paid a lot more than the league min, which is the bottom 15-20 on the roster.

Last season Trent McDuffie was the 21st pick in the draft. His cap hit last year was only 2.5 million.
I'm not sure the league minimum for vets but I think it's 1.1 or 1.2 mil so it isn't that much higher. Some of us are worrying too much.

Doesn't seem that hard to get out of the cap with a couple of restructures and a couple of cuts without losing anyone and having some money to sign a couple of our guys if they want to.

[Bolt4Knob]

Our Rd1 pick will be in the bottom 7 on the roster? Sure hope not … definitely not in terms of cap cost, Rd1 rookies get paid a lot more than the league min, which is the bottom 15-20 on the roster.

I think Boltnut was taking the difference of the draft pick cap number and subtracting $750k - to get the net increase to the cap. Which overall, as ComplxGal said, is like $3.5,

If Telesco wanted to save another $1.5m to $2m of cap - trade entirely out of the first round - get an extra pick. And the cost of 2+3 is much less than even one FRP pick at 21.

[Bolt4Knob]

I would re-structure Joey and Mike Williams (both are younger and have more guaranteed money for 2024).
I would cut Keenan and Mack at the end of 2023 (both of their contracts are structured with small dead cap hits in 2024). Cutting both after 2023 frees up $46 million in 2024. Money that can be used to re-sign Herbert (and a number of others).

Keenan's dead cap is "only" $2.7 million against the 2024 cap. And Mack's dead cap is "only" $4.5 million against the 2024 cap.

Even after re-structuring Bosa and Williams... there is $34 million in cap space for 2024. Cutting Keenan and Mack gives you another $46 million. That's $80 million of cap space for 2024.

Other things to do:
Cut Hopkins and Feiler (since you already have their replacements in Salyer and Dicker).
Re-sign: ERFA Dicker, JK Scott (have to have a punter)
And your roster is up to 53.

Cap space:
2023 = $7.8 million
2024 = $39.9 million (with an additional $46 million available when you cut KA and KM)

The 7 draft picks will inevitably take the spots of the bottom 7 on the existing 53-man roster. I think Cmplxgal said this would cost about $3.5 million. That brings 2023's cap down to $4.3 million. TT probably wants a little more room than that. But an extension to Vato (and his $9.4 cap hit) could easily take care of that. If you extend Vato, it probably saves you $4 million on 2023's cap... but costs you $6 million on 2024's cap.

All said and done... $8.3 million space in 2023 (after draft class is signed), 53 on the roster. $79 million in cap space in 2024... without KA and Mack (but extended Vato) would bring the roster up to 33 after draft class. You could re-sign Herbert ($30 million in 2024)... roster up to 34 and still have $49 million left on your 2024 cap.

The other thing you have to consider when letting Pipkins, Callahan, Tranquill, and Fox walk away via FA... is you're going to get comp picks for those departures.

I am not sure how much value Callahan will have in the comp game but Pipkins, Fox and Tranquill might. And this is where Telesco needs to be smart. If you are not signing Tranquill - would signing Bobby Wagner make sense. Not a fan of older but the Chargers would be in the comp pick. Same for Pipkins - if you sign a RT - sign a player released all things equal.

[21&500]

Tight cap... can't bring Callahan back. JCJ ruptured his patellar... probably start the year on the PUP. Michael Davis is on his last year of his contract...
I can't imagine any of the league's GM's don't know we're interested in a slot corner...

true, but hell,
Can we pretend to love Jasir Taylor?
maybe for gamesmanship?
Ha.

[blueman]

The way I look at it -- the Chargers will move about $37m of cap space. I am being conservative. Meaning - they will get cap compliant and have 17m left.
3m to sign picks
7m for the season and draft class

That leaves $7m. They can sign Tranq and Fox for 7m of cap space - maybe a bit less

But remember, minimum level guys like Callahan, Fox from last year - really do not add much to the cap when the roster already is at 51/53. And players on the veteran minimum are cheap cap hits.

The biggest reason I personally suggest moving on from Bosa and Allen this year (besides the ability to create cap space) - is to create a deeper roster than keeping the those two but losing a bunch of depth like Pip, Fox, Tranquil, KVN and relying on rookies and behind them UDFAs

Problem with that thinking it assumes it makes us better..and that has yet to be proven as NO approach of late has produced much or anything.

[Bolt4Knob]

Problem with that thinking it assumes it makes us better..and that has yet to be proven as NO approach of late has produced much or anything.

That is valid. I am putting faith that Telesco can find the players to replace Bosa and Allen. And his ability to identify players in the draft after R1 has been inconsistent at best.