Official 2026 Chargers Roster Discussion | Roster Build | Free Agency

[Boltnut]

Oweh and Macks replacements - all depends on who they sign and bring back

But JF-M at 15m per year might make more sense than Oweh at 23-25m per year
Just looking at Poppers list - Cam Jordan or Clowney for ONE year, as a bridge to help the draft pick come along. If you don't want to pay Ossai or Chaisson

Free agency is tricky -- 60m for Oweh, Zion and OC or 60m or IDL, Edge, OC, and Guard plus ..... those are the decisions. Whatever path he takes, one might be less risk averse - -but end of the day, did he get the decisions right or wrong.

I'd pass on JF-M if he's going to cost that much. In fact, if a team is willing to give him that much... better for us.
Most teams have much less in cap than us... let them shoot their wad early. They won't be competing for other free agents later.

The only free agents I'm going after hard early are LG and OC. I want to fix that OL with quality, proven starters.
McGovern and Edwards are the targets... bringing teammates over together would be worth the "over-pay"
McGovern ($17m AAV) and Edwards ($20m AAV) could be structured to count $15m and $18m against the 2026 cap...?
Signing these 2 players to 3-year deals allows for cap wiggle vs 1-year deals. Also gives some consistency at very important positions.

I'd love to bring back Mack. I think he does a lot of the important, less-noticeable things that make a defense solid.
I think he'd come back for a little less than last year... knowing he'd be part of a team with a solid chance at a SB push.
IMO, $16-17m is a fair deal for a proven veteran of his caliber. As a 1-year deal... it's all guaranteed (unless void year built in).

16+15+18 = $49m (against 2026 cap) is relatively cheap for 3 players at Mack/McGovern/Edwards caliber.
Now you can roll into the 2026 draft with 1 edge position and a RG position to fill (first 3 rounds)... and you are super strong in the trenches.

@DT... I'd let the early part of free agency (over-spending) sort itself out. Then sign a good free agent DT for a reasonable price. I like 7 or 8 of the free agent DT's. IMO, that's where the value is at in free agency.

[Critty]

I don't see $60 million on three players working, esp if you want a well-rounded deep roster.

That would leave $45 mil for the other 19 open roster spots.

That's not how much the deals would count against cap in year 1. Hortiz would structure the deals with signing bonuses and roster bonuses and a lower base pay in year 1 and Year 2.
He could add Linderbaum, Resign Zion, Resign Oweh. And keep the cap hit for those players at 25-30mil for 2026. Assuming he cuts Becton, then he still has 65-70mil to work with for 2026. I'm guessing he uses about 60mil of it to complete the roster, leaving at least 5-10mil towards other players or a trade during the season. He could also restructure/extend Herbert and add 17mil more to cap space for 2026. Derwin is in final year of his deal, if he gets an extension then that saves another 13mil. So just working those two players deals can add 30mil to 2026. He could have a total of 130mil to work with if he makes specific cuts and extensions.

[Bolt4Knob]

I'd pass on JF-M if he's going to cost that much. In fact, if a team is willing to give him that much... better for us.
Most teams have much less in cap than us... let them shoot their wad early. They won't be competing for other free agents later.

The only free agents I'm going after hard early are LG and OC. I want to fix that OL with quality, proven starters.
McGovern and Edwards are the targets... bringing teammates over together would be worth the "over-pay"
McGovern ($17m AAV) and Edwards ($20m AAV) could be structured to count $15m and $18m against the 2026 cap...?
Signing these 2 players to 3-year deals allows for cap wiggle vs 1-year deals. Also gives some consistency at very important positions.

I'd love to bring back Mack. I think he does a lot of the important, less-noticeable things that make a defense solid.
I think he'd come back for a little less than last year... knowing he'd be part of a team with a solid chance at a SB push.
IMO, $16-17m is a fair deal for a proven veteran of his caliber. As a 1-year deal... it's all guaranteed (unless void year built in).

16+15+18 = $49m (against 2026 cap) is relatively cheap for 3 players at Mack/McGovern/Edwards caliber.
Now you can roll into the 2026 draft with 1 edge position and a RG position to fill (first 3 rounds)... and you are super strong in the trenches.

@DT... I'd let the early part of free agency (over-spending) sort itself out. Then sign a good free agent DT for a reasonable price. I like 7 or 8 of the free agent DT's. IMO, that's where the value is at in free agency.

The reason JF-M might get paid is he is a very good pass rusher from the IDL
I agree that IOL needs to be fixed

Hortiz can take this so many ways... team has options. Good options

[beachcomber]

one thing, and albeit perhaps a trifling one @that, and.... both Seattle & NE both drafted IOL last go 'round, and us.... we passed on the both of Donovan Jackson and Jared Wilson.

where would we have ended up if we had passed on your faves, OH 'n Tre ?? would we have been in the title game ??

gonna put together a roster w/all Olineman draftees, and in the face of that many if not most here are pounding the table for a $60m IOL, and w/the maxim that there should be no skimpin' on account of our Golden God and his six years of suffering.

the only problem w/wishing for the same thing you wished for last go 'round, albeit that time pining for the likes of DK or Davante, and monies be damned.... is that Joe has shown no propensity for dishin' out the dough to that level, and....

you are oft equally as insistent that the likes of a Fortner or Mays is just not gonna cut it, and so.... am gonna dish w/draft picks and fill out the rest o' the roster w/FAs, as there are DTs, EDs, DBs and the like available in FA, and for less that $20m.

QB Herbert/46, Kenny Pickett/4 * Nutty and others here sayin' we have gobs of monies to do what we want, and then list Uiagalelei as our QB2
RB Omarion/4, Vidal/2, Jaret Patterson/2, Kenneth Gainwell/3 * if we had draft capital, would love Demond Claiborne or one of the Penn St. backs here
WR Keenan/7, Ladd/3, Tre Harris/2, QJ/4.5, KLS/1, Derius/1 * even w/the Oline draft, still don't have monies enough to add a Shaheed here
TE Oronde/1, Dissly/5.5, Fisk/1, Cade Otton/8 * in a perfect world, Otton replaces Will, and we have draft capital enough to select one of the talented TEs available this stanza
OT Rashawn/24, Joe/9, Jamaree/4, Trey Zuhn * Jolt says he wants nuthin' to do w/Salyer, albeit can't see any way we don't go after him, as the last thing you want to do is to go into FA w/your hand forced in having to overpay for a swing tackle
OG Trevor/5, Emmanuel Pregnon, Keylan Rutledge, Ben Cleveland/1, Branson Taylor/1 * again, and despite some peoples (DMac) strong feelings to the contrary, can't see any way you don't @least tender Penning an offer here
OC Parker Brailsford, Bryce Foster * guessin' you might be Linderbaum or bust.... good luck

NT Jamaree/1.5, Otito/2 * would prefer a Dontay Corleone here in the draft, and w/Kayden McDonald a steller run stopping addition here as well
DT Teair/6, John Franklin Myers/8 * know plenty o' peoples are clamoring for this guy, and think he's an overspend, and that the talent in the draft is more @NT
DE Da'Shawn/4, Egboigbe/1 * maybe you're hoping JFM goes here and spells Da'Shawn
ED Khalil/15, Tuli/6, KLC/9, Kennard/1 * just don't see the merits in signing Oweh, and for anything much over $10m
MLB Denzel/3, Junior Colson/2 * personal opinion is that the latter here belongs on the ps until he proves things otherwise
OLB Daiyan/4, Troy Dye/3.5, Del'Shawn Phillips/2, Marlowe Wax/1 * we are not lacking bodies @LB, just would rather have a thumper hedging Denzel
SAF Derwin/25, Molden/8, Mickens/1, Kendall Williamson/1, Jefferson/2.5 * when you crunch the numbers for next year, just don't see DJ surviving things
CB Donte Jackson/8.5, Tarheeb/1, Cam/1, Nikko Reed/1, Josh Jobe/8 * mentioned before that Roger McCreary might be worthy of consideration here as well

ST Cameron Dicker/6, JK Scott/4, Josh Harris/1.5

so closer to $275m this time 'round, and just enough for paying draft picks, having something for an in season reserve, and for waiting on June 1st cuts

[Xenos]

[Heatmiser]

Cap going up 22m.
That is Linderbaum money right there.
5y/110mil deal at 22m per year.
25mil sign bonus. 70mil guarantee.
Dude will get 47mil year 1.

And they can still sign Zion to 4y/65mil.
And only have him count for 10mil cap hit in 2026.
With Cap likely going up again and again in following years.

Leaving just RG to figure out.
Could add both T/G C.Strange 2y/15. and G/C S.Rhyan 2y/15. to compete for that spot as both have versatility to play other spots on OL.

Thing is, the cap went up 22M for everyone. So the Ravens have Linderbaum money now, too.

[Topcat]

Thing is, the cap went up 22M for everyone. So the Ravens have Linderbaum money now, too.

Even with the cap increase, if the Ravens spend most of their coin on Lindy, they won't have much left for draftees and any FA's they want to sign. The only way I see Baltimore keeping him is to backload most of his money until the final two years of a 4-year deal...and I don't think Lindy wants that--especially the way players get injured nowadays...the Ravens might also insist on an out after 2-3 years...another possible sticking point:

image.png

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space

[Bolt4Knob]

Ravens will rework Lamar's contract or extend him - probably get $40m of cap space. They also can do something with a couple other players. So the Ravens will have plenty of money for Linderbaum.

I mean, the Cowboys are going to push $120m this weekend to the future - Raven s can push 50-60m

It will be an interesting next week until March 9 - see what rumors start to come out about players and teams.

[Boltjolt]

Maybe this is why players gave Harbaugh a C+
Chark says his practices are more physical than he is used to

[YAC]

He could add Linderbaum, Resign Zion, Resign Oweh. And keep the cap hit for those players at 25-30mil for 2026.

Heavily back-stacking contracts, as you suggest, isn't something Hortiz appears to be comfortable doing. He's said that very clearly this week and that's been the consistent pattern of what he learned while with the Ravens.

I'm glad about that. Cap hell is real, and I don't like it.

[Florida fan]

Until Zion and Mack are resigned we not looking good. If those two are not signed we are looking at 2FA starters needed and at least 1 draft pick needed. Oweh is not guaranteed.

[Chargers8491]

Heavily back-stacking contracts, as you suggest, isn't something Hortiz appears to be comfortable doing. He's said that very clearly this week and that's been the consistent pattern of what he learned while with the Ravens.

I'm glad about that. Cap hell is real, and I don't like it.

Yeah, I totally agree with this. There is no doubt in my mind they are also going to try and extend some players like Tuli to take advantage of the cap space they have now.

I would also venture to say they have a list of free agents at every position that they are comfortable with from the most expensive to the least expensive. I expect they will have starters in place for every position whether it's a 20m player or 5m player. I just can't see them going into the draft with a hole. That is a signal to other teams that they are looking for a specific position to fill and that would allow teams an opportunity to jump in front of them, IMHO.