Official 2026 Chargers Roster Discussion | Roster Build | Free Agency

[Boltjolt]

having Denzel and not having Denzel has oft been the difference of a YPC less than not, w/him in or out of the lineup.... first and second downs matter.

a run stopping MLB is just like a run stopping NT.... how is it that first and second downs don't matter ??

Henley is a coverage LB, and a good one, and.... if he's on the field so much, that prolly means we are not doing a good job of shutting down the run.... an imperative to any SB run.

we have a great opportunity to draft Denzel's successor in this draft, and also to upgrade the vacancy left by Naquan Jones.

personally am not in love w/the ED group as some others here, and much prefer the IDL and LBs available.

again personally, the suspicion is that Mack comes back for one last go 'round, and that we can sign someone cheaper than Odafe's $20m in FA ??

if we hedge/upgrade anyone on the edge, would be Kennard by my take/observation....

I just wish Denzel could be more durable but he hasnt been. Dude is a thumper for sure but at 33 and missing games consistantly its time to sign or draft another guy....or both. Dye cant be our starter for half the season.

[Boltjolt]

am totally lost as to the infatuation of Shaheed ahead of Keenan ??

he had 15 receptions last season, and will get you fortysomething balls in a good year, and.... we already know how many yards & receptions you're leaving in the 2026 dumpster by dropping Keenan.

simply absurd and fool's play.... Keenan is exponentially more productive than the other names mentioned/bandied about here.

the only thing separating Keenan from another banner season is people's conjecture here.... hopefully Joe does not succumb to the KA group think around here.

Rasheed had 59 receptions last season. 15 with Seattle after the trade. I guessing we can get him for a little less than 14 mil a year....maybe. 59 is a career high in catches and he has 6 career returns for TDs (4 punts, 2 KO) which is the more value added to him.

[YAC]

Bush isnt a monster LB. Last season was his 7th and by far had his best season since his rookie year so he hasnt been consistant.

Fair enough. Did have a monster season in 2025. As I noted above I haven't studied the player...just want a big upgrade in the LB room.

[electricgold]

We have the WR's on the roster in Harris, and KLS its time to bump them up for playing time.

Unless we could add a superstar WR from the outside its time to address other areas in the draft with the top picks, and pass on mid-level to better than average free agent WR's.

[dmac_bolt]

We have the WR's on the roster in Harris, and KLS its time to bump them up for playing time.

Unless we could add a superstar WR from the outside it’s ctime to address other areas in the draft with the top picks, and pass on mid-level to better than average free agent WR's.

KLS could be our Shaheed?

[dmac_bolt]

[Bolt4Knob]

KLS could be our Shaheed?

It would be nice to see if he had that skillset -- hopefully he takes a big step in year 2

[Xenos]

A roster build with an emphasis on IOL rebuild... using market values from OTC

Cuts: Becton, Bozeman, Matlock
Re-signs: Oweh ($18m), Hand ($4m), Josh Harris ($2m), Benjamin St.Juste ($2m), Kimani Vidal ($1m), Kendall Williamson ($1m)
Free agent signs: Connor McGovern ($15m), David Edwards ($18m), Sheldon Rankins ($7m) Reggie Gilliam ($2m).
Draft: Edge TJ Parker, RG Brian Parker, TE Michael Trigg, LB Aiden Fisher

$42m of cap space to sign rookies, PS, and In-season free agents.

QB: Herbert, Uiagalelei
RB: Hampton, Vidal, Amar Johnson
FB: Reggie Gilliam
WR: QJ, Ladd, Tre Harris, LSM, Dalevon Campbell, DD
TE: Gadsden, Michael Trigg, Dissly
OT: Slater, Alt, Savion Washington
OG: Edwards, Parker, Cleveland
OC: McGovern, Kaltenberger

Edge: Tuli, Oweh, TJ Parker, Kennard, Dupree
DT: Tart, Caldwell, Hand, Rankins, Eboigbe, Fuga
LB: Colson, Henly, Fisher, Dye, Wax
CB: Jackson, Hart, Still, St.Juste, Reed, Rogers
S: Derwin, Molden, Mickens, Amani Johnson

Man, if we can pull off getting both McGovern and Edwards that would be great. Though I’m still pessimistic about getting both.

[Xenos]

Popper’s top 5 internal free agents. I would switch Mack and Zion’s spot but I’m much higher on the latter than most here.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...-2026-ranking/

The Los Angeles Chargers’ first order of business this offseason is making decisions on their internal free agents.

They already began the process last month when they agreed to a three-year extension with defensive lineman Teair Tart. The Chargers signed Tart to a one-year, $5 million deal last offseason. He outperformed that contract and was the defense’s most disruptive interior defensive lineman. Tart was slated to hit free agency when the new league year begins March 11. The Chargers got ahead of that and brought Tart back on a deal averaging $10 million per in base value, according to Over the Cap.

Re-signing Tart was merely the opening step in this process. The Chargers have 21 other players set to his unrestricted free agency when the new league year begins, including several starters and key contributors. The Chargers are free to negotiate extensions with any of these players. Other teams, meanwhile, must wait until the negotiating window opens March 9.

Here is a look at the Chargers’ five best pending internal free agents.

1. OLB Odafe Oweh
Oweh made himself a lot of money after the Chargers traded for him in October. That could come in Los Angeles. That could come elsewhere. Either way, Oweh has surely created a robust market based on how he produced with the Chargers.

Oweh, a 2021 first-round pick, entered 2025 with the Baltimore Ravens, playing on his fifth-year option. He did not have a sack through five games. Ahead of a Week 6 matchup with the Miami Dolphins, the Chargers sent safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Ravens for Oweh and a future seventh-round pick. Oweh had sack in his Chargers debut. He finished the regular season with 7.5 sacks. He had three sacks in the Chargers’ playoff loss to the New England Patriots.

Tuli Tuipulotu, Khalil Mack and Oweh formed one of the fiercest pass-rushing trios in the league. Mack dealt with an elbow injury early in the season. He fully returned in Week 8. From that point on, the Chargers ranked second in defensive EPA per play, according to TruMedia. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter got all three rushers on the field at the same time in known-passing situations. That grouping presented significant problems, and the Chargers, from Week 8 on, ranked fourth in third-down pressure rate, according to TruMedia.

Mack is also free agent, and we will get to him next. Oweh should be the Chargers’ priority as they assess their remaining in-house free agents. He is still only 27. He is an ascending player who started to show more variety in his pass-rush arsenal after joining the Chargers. He is a known quantity in this defense.


2. OLB Khalil Mack
Mack, once again, has three options heading into the offseason. He can retire. He can re-sign with the Chargers. Or he can sign elsewhere. Mack was in a similar spot last offseason. He opted to re-sign with the Chargers on a one-year, $18 million deal. Mack missed four games early in the season with a dislocated elbow. That affected his overall production as he worked his way back. But Mack is still a high-quality edge rusher who can impact the game by getting after the quarterback and dominating in the run game.

The roster-finance math gets a little tricky when you consider keeping Tuipulotu, Mack and Oweh together. Oweh could command more than $20 million per year on the open market. Tuipulotu is coming off a breakout 13-sack season and is eligible for a lucrative long-term extension. Mack would command sizable cap space on a likely one-year deal, if he decides to continue playing.

Three expensive veteran contracts in one room limits spending elsewhere. In a perfect world, the Chargers would have a rookie contract in this room, with a player outperforming his cost against the cap. But the spending is worth it to keep the Mack-Tuipulotu-Oweh trio together. They are all productive players. Just as important, they have tremendous chemistry and unselfishness in how they rush together.

The Oweh trade last year proved that the Chargers need three high-quality edge rushers to get the most out of their defensive scheme. That was true under Minter, and that will be true under new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary, who will be running the same system.

Khalil Mack remains a disruptive defender against the run and the pass.Stacy Revere/Getty Images


3. OG Zion Johnson
From Weeks 13 to 17 this past season, Johnson played the best football of his career. He is a weapon as a run blocker, and he showed more consistency as a pass protector during this stretch, especially in terms of how he was seeing and identifying stunts and blitzes up front.

Johnson did not play well in the playoff loss to the New England Patriots, and that was an unfortunate finish after what he put on tape to close out the regular season. Still, his performance after the bye in Week 12 was enough to show that he has taken a step forward.

If he hits free agency, Johnson will be one of the best guards on the market. As recent history has shown, even mediocre starting guards get paid in free agency. Aaron Banks signed with the Green Bay Packers for $19.25 million per year last offseason. Johnson is a far better player than Banks. That should put his market in perspective.

The big question is this: What do the Chargers do if Johnson leaves in free agency? They need an upgrade at center over Bradley Bozeman. Starting right guard Mekhi Becton is a potential cap-related cut. If Johnson leaves, there is a real chance the Chargers will be looking for three new starters on the interior. With the space they will potentially be devoting to the edge room, filling three starting spots on the offensive line would be a heavy lift. The roster puzzle makes more sense if the Chargers can re-sign Johnson, even if they have to overpay slightly.


4. DL Da’Shawn Hand
Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has proven capable of finding low-cost answers on the interior defensive line in free agency. In 2024, he signed Poona Ford to a one-year, $1.79 million contract. Ford was the Chargers’ best interior defender and parlayed that prove-it contract into a three-year, $27.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams. In 2025, Hortiz signed Hand to a one-year, $2.75 million contract. Hand was the Chargers’ most consistent interior run defender, and he considerably outperformed this deal.

Do the Chargers bring Hand back, or do they again trust their pro scouting to find a low-cost answer? They will need to bolster this position in the coming months. They have very little behind the trio of Tart, Jamaree Caldwell and Justin Eboigbe.


5. WR Keenan Allen
The Chargers and Allen reunited in August 2025 after Mike Williams retired on the eve of training camp. Allen had a fine season, catching 81 passes for 777 yards. He set the all-time franchise receptions record, passing Hall of Famer Antonio Gates. He is 534 yards away from passing Gates as the Chargers’ receiving yards leader.

Allen had spent a year away from the Chargers, after Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh traded him to the Chicago Bears during the 2024 offseason. The rapport between quarterback Justin Herbert and Allen resumed immediately. Allen led the NFL with 29 conversion receptions on third down.

Allen can still play. That much is clear. The primary question is whether he makes sense paired with Ladd McConkey. Allen and McConkey are at their best in similar positions on the field, namely when running option routes in short areas. McConkey had 82 catches for 1,149 yards as a rookie in 2024. His production waned in 2025. McConkey finished with 66 catches for 789 yards. Allen’s presence undoubtedly impacted this drop-off. McConkey was forced to run for intermediate and deep routes because Allen was digging into his share of those shorter option routes.

McConkey should be the focal point of the passing game. It is difficult to make that happen when Allen is on the roster, even if Allen can still contribute at this level.

[Steve]

-Don't want to pay big for part time players? On defense it's rare to find players who are full-time these days. DTs rotate. Edges rotate. Minter had some of our DBs rotate. And that's before we even get into all the situational sub packages.

-Bush is elite versus run and pass, so you don't have to take him off the field.

-As for turnovers and splash plays Bush had 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and a recovered fumble. Two sacks. Seven tackles for loss. Sustainable? Fair question! (I see it was a unique year for him)

-A big differentiator--where the gap can be massive between linebackers is average depth of tackle.

-I don't want to fixate on Bush too much specifically. Haven't studied him that much. I just want to invest in better linebacker play.



Mack wasn't in that roster build. I don't see us bringing back both Mack and Oweh.

My point is about ILB generically, I am using Bush as a specific example, but it applies across the board. Is it worth spending money on ILB? I don't think it is. An average guy is a lot cheaper, and it gives us assets that can be better used at other positions. Positions that could make more impactful plays.

Specifically about Bush:
My point isn't that he cannot cover, but on long yardage, or when protecting a lead, we sub out our 2nd LB in favor of extra DB. That is about 1/3 of the time. Unless you think Henley is going to come off, it has to be Bush. If he stays on, on longer pass patterns vs WR, 3rd down back and pass catching TE, the Bush can run with them better than a DB can???? The point being, if we play dime packages, one of the LB HAS to come off the field for the DB.

It also worries me that Bush has only played well for 2 seasons, and was only a part time player in 2024 for Cleveland. In 7 years he has 6 int, 3 in 2025, 2 in 2019 and 1 in 2021. A lot of guys who play in a teams nickel package will get an int or two just by sheer luck, so getting 3 is definitely added value, but is it worth the extra cost? A lot of very average pass defenders get an int or two and a fumble recovery or two, and a sack or two.

The advantage a guy like Bush (or Henley) has is that they are simply on the field a lot more, so when those rare opportunities where the QB throws to the ball straight to the LB, or the RB is carrying the ball loose so that the LB can easily punch it out or get their head on the ball, or is on the field when the blockers screw up their assignments, players who are on the field can expect a certain level of production. Is Bush just another guy who is lucky enough to be on the field a lot or is he actually adding value a making plays that an average guy couldn't?

PFF top 250 FA rankings gives a contract projection of 3 years at $36 mil total, and $24 mil guaranteed. His comp is Logan Wilson. To me, that is close if not maybe the same as what I would expect we would sign Mack for (PFF projection is 1 yr for $14,000,000). Mack declined to become a FA last year and signed with us. Would he do the same again?

I agree that the depth at which an ILB makes the tackle can be a big deal. I disagree that the LB has that much to do with it. DT that can control the line and occupying the blockers, make it hard for the OL to get off the line and get to the LB. The LB doesn't have to take on blocks themselves, and can just run to the ball, shooting the gaps and make the big TFL.

We know that we need depth at OLB. Oweh is a rotational player who has a weakness in his game, but adds a lot overall. We know him from his Ravens background and his time this season. I think the speed run down guys are going to be even more valuable now than in the past. The only guy with similar skills to Oweh in recent Charger memory is Bud Dupree, who lacks the discipline to stay keep contain. If we are missing Mack, there are guys like Clowney, or Arnold Ebiketie, or even Cam Jordan who could fill in. But whoever we sign, we need 3 guys who can play regularly at Edge. Having only 2 is not enough, unless we like seeing edge guys tired at the end of games and worn out by the end of the season.

As far as making the D more formidable, adding another in the box/near the line S like Derwin makes sense, provided the price is right. Jabrill Peppers is a good choice and adds speed that most LB don't have, even at his current age, but his snap counts have gone down a lot, due to some injuries. But he might be a nice addition to be a dime/money position guy who plays on ST. CJ Gardner-Johnson is 1 year removed from being a major part of winning a SB, but played badly for Hou and Chicago this year.

The one thing I think we have going for us is that that if we can address the edge and IOL, we don't have many true needs. I would like to see upgrades at almost every position, but if we went into the season most of the position groups are OK for now.

[YAC]

You keep releasing Ben Cleveland and it makes ZERO sense. Matlock I get in the sense he doesn't fit. Davis, not really unless you replace him. Cleveland is cheap OL depth nobody has seen play, why the hell are yuou releasing him --it is surely not for cap space.

Makes perfect sense, IMO

Ben Cleveland has been in the league for five years. He's gained more attention for his substance abuse than he has contributing on the field. In the past four years he's made 3 emergency starts. That's it. That's all. When the Chargers brought him in last season could we not have been more desperate? Was the situation not more open for a guy to contribute? Yet the Dude didn't sniff the field, stalled on the practice squad.

What does it say when in 2025 Ben could only get on the field ***3 single snaps*** on offense for the Ravens...and zero snaps for the Chargers?

To top it off...he just doesn't fit. Lateral movement is necessary w/outside zone blocking and BC doesn't have it.

I'd rather give a shot to an undrafted free agent. Cleveland is dead to me.

[Steve]

having Denzel and not having Denzel has oft been the difference of a YPC less than not, w/him in or out of the lineup.... first and second downs matter.

a run stopping MLB is just like a run stopping NT.... how is it that first and second downs don't matter ??

Henley is a coverage LB, and a good one, and.... if he's on the field so much, that prolly means we are not doing a good job of shutting down the run.... an imperative to any SB run.

we have a great opportunity to draft Denzel's successor in this draft, and also to upgrade the vacancy left by Naquan Jones.

personally am not in love w/the ED group as some others here, and much prefer the IDL and LBs available.

again personally, the suspicion is that Mack comes back for one last go 'round, and that we can sign someone cheaper than Odafe's $20m in FA ??

if we hedge/upgrade anyone on the edge, would be Kennard by my take/observation....

It worth remembering that the SB champs played their nickel package almost 88% of the time last year. Even when other teams went with bigger personnel, the Seahawks played light boxes and ran to the ball. Since most TE and FB are terrible blockers, why would you necessarily have to counter their blocking ability with a player who excels at defeating blocks?

I think the guy to target as our 2nd starting LB is Leo Chanel from KC. He is a physical guy who has improved in coverage and has always been an above average pass rusher/blitzer, and he is a good ST guy. Since we still have Troy Dye and Coulson has a chance (slim) to develop, the fact that he is probably fairly cheap is a good thing. Adding a guy like Jabrill Peppers, or adding another S that can attack the run can help make our run D better too.

As far as Oweh goes, I think his long speed is what our D really needs. And while we do rotate our pass rushers, we need some quality to keep things up. If McDaniel's O does better this year, we are going to be playing more pass D regardless of how good our run D is (8th overall). Remember that ypc is sometimes a poor indicator of how effective a D is at stopping the run. We aren't elite, but you aren't going to get rich doing it. And if we can be more consistent on O, particularly running the ball and controlling the clock, that puts a huge amount of pressure on the other teams offense. If we are scoring more points, putting teams in bad field position and controlling the clock, those are all things that force offenses to be more aggressive against us. That puts the ball on display (more downfield throws) and give us more chances to get the ball away from them.