In the fourth and final installment of the Charger free agents re-signing odds, we will be going over the back-end roster guys! Previous installments of Big Names, Key Role Players, and Depth/Special Teams are also available. With an entirely new regime, look for pretty much all of these guys departing from the Chargers. Turnover will be had due to this, and negative cap space. That said, the Chargers will need to fill up this roster somehow, and these guys do have familiarity with the city at the very least.
Remember during this exercise that the Chargers currently have -20.8 million in cap space after the Corey Linsley restructure. They must be cap-compliant by March 13th. Explanations of ERFA, UFA, and RFA are below.
Los Angeles Chargers Free Agents: Back-End Roster Guys
UFA: Cameron Tom – 30% Chance of Returning
Cameron Tom, the player who was the Chargers’ fourth-string center this year. Yes, it got that bad… and yes, we are really talking about fourth-string centers here. Tom spent the majority of the season on the practice squad. He only appeared in one game for the Chargers once Brenden Jaimes was called up to start at center. That said, Tom could return due to the Chargers literally having next nobody at the position, and he brings a veteran presence there.
UFA: Will Grier – 40% Chance of Returning
Will Grier had a stellar preseason and eventually landed his way on the Chargers active roster, once Justin Herbert went down with injury. Grier did not take any snaps, but was a professional clipboard (or now tablet) holder. As one of many Charger free agents, Grier brings some nice physical traits and more seasons of experience than any other quarterback on the roster. If he and Jim Harbaugh hit it off- he could very well be the backup behind Herbert over Easton Stick, especially since Grier will be much cheaper than Stick. Nonetheless, Stick is still very much the favorite in that spot.
UFA: Nick Vannett – 55% Chance of Returning
Nick Vannett was one of Chargers free agents that made an impact during the season. He was a breath of fresh air for the Chargers in 2023. After being signed to the practice squad, he was eventually elevated due to poor blocking performances from Tre’ McKitty and the rest of the tight-end group. He did not single-handedly change the room, but he did bring more stability to an area of weakness for the Chargers. A player with a weak market, lots of experience, and familiarity with the team should be a strong candidate for the new regime to sign. Especially considering the tight room is a wasteland.
RFA: Blake Lynch – 65% Chance of Returning
Another one of many Ryan Ficken-related Charger free agents, Blake Lynch was signed to be a special teamer under the all-star Special Teams Coach. They both had ties to each other from their time in Minnesota together. Lynch was a solid linebacker with the Vikings in his time there. He was picked up by the Chargers during the off-season. He was eventually called upon to play special teams late in the year, after an injury to Tanner Muse. Lynch brings solid special teams play with experience at linebacker, and that is exactly what this team needs. The linebacker room is practically just Daiyan Henley. An easy signing for the front office, even though he is an RFA.
ERFA: Zack Bailey – 30% Chance of Returning
Zack Bailey has been on the roster bubble for what seems like years now. He eventually found his way onto the active roster in September. Unfortunately, he was later placed on injured reserve in December. That said, Bailey brings the team guard/tackle flexibility and has been a preseason standout for what seems like years now. He is currently 28 and does not yield any starting experience. I would not expect him to be back in 2024 due to injury and much younger options.
ERFA: Keelan Doss – 25% Chance of Returning
Keelan Doss has been activated and reverted back to the practice squad countless times in his time with the Chargers. He has made some plays during his time on the field, but nothing to warrant a return to Los Angeles. He is soon to be 28 years old and has not shown much of anything since being drafted. Doss is one of many Charger free agents to likely not return.
Key Terms
Important key terms that define and differentiate the different free agents the Chargers currently have.
UFA: Any player who has completed four or more seasons under contract and now possesses an expired contract; free in their ability to engage in negotiations and sign with any team of their choosing.
RFA: A player with three accrued seasons and an expired contract. RFAs retain the freedom to negotiate and sign with any team, although their original team retains the option to extend various qualifying offers (“tenders”), which grant them the right of initial refusal and/or entail draft-pick compensation.
ERFA: Any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. Should the player’s original team propose a one-year contract at the league’s minimum salary (based on his credited seasons), the player forfeits the opportunity to negotiate with other teams.
Conclusion
That is a wrap for the Charger Free Agents Re-Signing odds series. This enclosure included plenty of back-end roster guys, which is still important to talk about. Most of these players could see their careers fading away, playing their last snaps of NFL football with the Chargers. That is unfortunately the business. This is especially true considering their familiarity with the last regime is gone, and the cap situation does not give anyone mercy. Make sure to check out the other installments if you have not already!
Main Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
