Official 2026 Chargers Roster Discussion | Roster Build | Free Agency

[Florida fan]

After last years OL issues, I think we still need 2 more Good FA. They are saving to see who gets cut after teams start cutting to get under the cap. I don’t Think they are looking to pull it forward. They will go into the season with 5 good starters on OL….This year will be about seeing what McD and Herbert can do. Herbert also need to show he can perform in the PO. To do that the OL need 5 good starters and the days of 2million dollar backup are over. We have two tackles coming off serious injuries and we know there is a good chance someone on OL will miss games.
Thats why I think they are saving.
I also agree rookies will not cost more than 10mil. Saving a lot of money for insurance for FA during season doesn’t make sense either because we have seen the results. Pay the OL and the rest will be fine.

[dmac_bolt]

We are constantly talking about needing about $30m to sign draft picks, PS, and in-season slush fund.
Currently, there are 22 teams that have less cap space than that... they will make cuts after the draft.
Maybe one of them can afford to cut lose a high-quality player (as they replaced him via the draft)...?

The other "secret expensive" player... may not be secret at all. He might be a player already on the roster that needs to be extended (Tuli, Derwin, etc.).

I was thinking same - if Joe doesn’t get that secret player he covets, he could end up using his surplus to get ahead of the Tuli and/or Henley extensions and “bank it forward”.

There are about a half dozen high-potential IOL players we all like that will go by Day 2 of the draft - we ain’t drafting them all so someone else is. ergo - expensive current player expendability could occur - those teams will try to trade first though before they start cutting.

[dmac_bolt]

After last years OL issues, I think we still need 2 more Good FA. They are saving to see who gets cut after teams start cutting to get under the cap. I don’t Think they are looking to pull it forward. They will go into the season with 5 good starters on OL….This year will be about seeing what McD and Herbert can do. Herbert also need to show he can perform in the PO. To do that the OL need 5 good starters and the days of 2million dollar backup are over. We have two tackles coming off serious injuries and we know there is a good chance someone on OL will miss games.
Thats why I think they are saving.
I also agree rookies will not cost more than 10mil. Saving a lot of money for insurance for FA during season doesn’t make sense either because we have seen the results. Pay the OL and the rest will be fine.

Saving money for in-season is all well and good, but the store shelves are pretty bare and you end up over-paying or giving away Rd 6 and 7 picks for scrubs (ahem, Joe!). Better deals if you do that shopping before the season starts before other teams start accumulating their own injuries and shopping needs.

[Bolt4Knob]

I was thinking same - if Joe doesn’t get that secret player he covets, he could end up using his surplus to get ahead of the Tuli and/or Henley extensions and “bank it forward”.

There are about a half dozen high-potential IOL players we all like that will go by Day 2 of the draft - we ain’t drafting them all so someone else is. ergo - expensive current player expendability could occur - those teams will try to trade first though before they start cutting.

Also you can include Derwin. But one thing, the Chargers still have a shit load of cap space next year. Top 4 as of today. Again going back to Robert Mays and TAFS podcast, he was talking about how the Vikings are in "good cap shape next year with almost 70m " of cap. Until you look - the roster has 33 players, doesn't include two draft classes that at this point will be 20m plus other costs. So really that 70m is more like 35m

Whereas the Chargers have $130m -- but two draft classes, take out $20m, fill out the roster, inseason costs, etc - looking at $90. Subtract Tuli, Derwin and even Daiyan, still looking at $50m of net cap space
So Hortiz again will have the space next year. Not like this year - but good space

One thing, the Oweh pick somehow dropped to the 4th round -- of course -- the NFL comp picks to the Chargers are just Leo Getz in teh drive thru. So that is a bust. A measly 4th for Oweh. A 2026 5th is equal to a 2027 4th

[Heatmiser]

Let's face it. Teams just don't let really good, top tier players leave via free agency. They also don't trade them away. And even the physically talented ones that do change teams usually have some baggage (Hill, Antonio Brown, etc). It is largely a fools errand. I read the stat about historically how many free agents became pro bowl with thier new team and it was below 5%.

[Bolt4Knob]

Let's face it. Teams just don't let really good, top tier players leave via free agency. They also don't trade them away. And even the physically talented ones that do change teams usually have some baggage (Hill, Antonio Brown, etc). It is largely a fools errand. I read the stat about historically how many free agents became pro bowl with thier new team and it was below 5%.

Agreed. It was unusual circumstances that the Bears got both Jackson and Thuney via trade. Two solid interior OL for day 3 picks

and players cut at this time -- moving forward, very rarely they are of good talent. They are cut as they aren't good. The players of value who were released, were already released. Bud Dupree is an example of a player who can still be released. He';s not good

[Boltinloudguy]

I saw on Bolt Beat the Salyer got $1.4 mil. I can’t find it anywhere else that he got that. It’s not on Spotrac or OvertheCap. Alex Insdorf is the only one reporting it. That also seems ridiculously low for a player with as many starts as he has and that is competing for a starting job. I have a hard time believing he is making less than a 2025 2nd round pick and a 2024 2nd round pick.

[Riverwalk]

I saw on Bolt Beat the Salyer got $1.4 mil. I can’t find it anywhere else that he got that. It’s not on Spotrac or OvertheCap. Alex Insdorf is the only one reporting it. That also seems ridiculously low for a player with as many starts as he has and that is competing for a starting job. I have a hard time believing he is making less than a 2025 2nd round pick and a 2024 2nd round pick.

He outplayed Pipkins and Penning, yet they paid those two a lot more.

Ridiculous they let him walk that cheap but the rationale is he’s not a MM scheme fit.

[Charge!]

Agreed. It was unusual circumstances that the Bears got both Jackson and Thuney via trade. Two solid interior OL for day 3 picks

and players cut at this time -- moving forward, very rarely they are of good talent. They are cut as they aren't good. The players of value who were released, were already released. Bud Dupree is an example of a player who can still be released. He';s not good

there are 3 reasons..... age, injuries,or $$$$$$$

sometimes you can get a very good or solid player for a year or 2 because they were old and their team drafted a talented young guy to replace them.....

[dmac_bolt]

Let's face it. Teams just don't let really good, top tier players leave via free agency. They also don't trade them away. And even the physically talented ones that do change teams usually have some baggage (Hill, Antonio Brown, etc). It is largely a fools errand. I read the stat about historically how many free agents became pro bowl with thier new team and it was below 5%.

that stat is misleading in the sense that 90%+ of FAs are bottom-roster scrubs. its true not all big-contract FAs hit, but its not a 5% success rate for that small subset of players. And even all of that small sub-set of big-contract FAs weren't pro bowlers before they became FA.

I don't know what the fair stat is though. Sounds like a job for YAC ...

[Heatmiser]

that stat is misleading in the sense that 90%+ of FAs are bottom-roster scrubs. its true not all big-contract FAs hit, but its not a 5% success rate for that small subset of players. And even all of that small sub-set of big-contract FAs weren't pro bowlers before they became FA.

I don't know what the fair stat is though. Sounds like a job for YAC ...

I hear ya. Not to mention the probowl has become a joke, so not the measure it used to be. Shadeur Sanders made last probowl. joe flacco. Joe Alt with playing less than half a season. But I still think the point is valid. Free agency is like a garage sale. Sometimes you luck into something great. Most of the time you are buying things other people were about to throw away

[Boltinloudguy]

He outplayed Pipkins and Penning, yet they paid those two a lot more.

Ridiculous they let him walk that cheap but the rationale is he’s not a MM scheme fit.

I’m not arguing that he outplayed them. I am just wondering if that contract amount is actually right. If I was Salyer and all the playing experience he had, I would not have settled for $1.4 mil.