Now that the 2024 NFL season is over and the Philadelphia Eagles are the NFL Champions, the Los Angeles Chargers can get started on improving on an 11-6 season that earned them a playoff berth in 2024 in their first season under the leadership of head coach Jim Harbaugh and General Manager Joe Hortiz.
The Chargers got an early start in free agency, re-signing defensive back Elijah Molden to a three-year, $18.75 deal with $13.5 million in guarantees. Molden played safety and cornerback for the Chargers in 2024. He had a career-high of 75 tackles, three interceptions, and recovered two fumbles. The best season of his career.
The playoff loss at Houston to the Texans exposed some of the Chargers weaknesses, particularly at wide receiver and tight end. There are also questions at running back and on the interior offensive line. The Chargers hope to bring back defensive tackle Poona Ford, defensive tackle Teair Tart, and defensive end Morgan Fox. These three interior defenders played well in 2024.
The Chargers are about $60 million under the salary cap, so they have some money to spend in free agency. They have 11 draft picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Chargers could also save a total of $38 million by cutting edge rusher Joey Bosa, edge rusher Bud Dupree, running back Gus Edwards, and guard Jamaree Salyer.
Below are some of the key questions that need to be answered in free agency or the draft and some of the players that could help in free agency:
Wide Receiver – The New York Jets are expected to release Davante Adams, and he should be the top target for the Chargers in free agency at wide receiver. Adams will make $38.2 million in 2025, but if the Jets cut him, they save almost $30 million in salary cap space. Adams is likely to be cut, although the Jets may try to trade him to get something in return.
Adams has indicated that he wants to play on the west coast, where he grew up and where he played his college football (Fresno State). Adams played his high school football at Palo Alto high school in Palo Alto, where Harbaugh also played his high school football. Other options at wide receiver include Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp and former Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen.
Acquiring Kupp would require a trade, and the Rams are willing to trade him. The Chargers and Rams just have to agree on a price. Allen wants to return to Los Angeles, to play for either the Rams or the Chargers. Adams wants to play on the west coast and Kupp would like to remain in Los Angeles. At least one of these three players should end up with the Chargers. The Chargers should also add at least one wide receiver in the draft.
Running back – The NFL draft is deep in running backs this season. The Chargers could re-sign running back J.K. Dobbins, who rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games. Dobbins has an injury history but has performed well when healthy. The Chargers could also sign free agent Najee Harris, who played his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and has never failed to rush for 1,000 yards in a season in the NFL.
Harris is a 6-foot-1, 242 pound running back who runs well inside, but lacks deep speed. The Chargers will need to do both. Sign a quality free agent running back and draft a quality running back. They have the salary cap space and the draft picks to do both.
Tight End – Will Dissly will return for the Chargers in 2025. The 2025 NFL draft class is strong at tight end and the Chargers will likely draft at least one tight end this year. There is not much available in free agency that would represent a significant improvement over the performance of the past season. One possible option is free agent tight end Austin Hooper, who spent the 2024 season with the New England Patriots.
The thirty-year old Hooper had 45 receptions for 476 yards and three touchdowns on 59 targets. Hooper had 25 receptions for first downs last season. Hooper was a two-time pro bowl selection with the Atlanta Falcons in 2018 & 2019. He was graded as the 6th best tight end in the NFL by Pro Football Focus (PFF) in 2024. The former Stanford star would be a nice addition to the tight end group, but he is no longer a pro bowl tight end.
Interior Offensive lineman – The Chargers need to get better at guard and center, both for opening holes in the running game and pass protection. Center Drew Dalman of the Falcons and guard Brandon Scherff of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are two players that could help the Chargers in free agency. Dalman is a former Stanford star and college teammate of both Chargers tackle Foster Sarell and Chargers wide receiver Simi Fehoko.
Dalman graded out as the 4th best center in the NFL by PFF. He is just 26 years of age. Scherff is a five-time Pro Bowl selection at the age of 33. A former first round pick out of Iowa, Scherff spent the past three seasons in Jacksonville. He graded out as one of the top guards in pass protection in the NFL in 2024, an area of concern for the Chargers.
Edge Rusher – The Chargers want to re-sign linebacker/edge defender Khalil Mack, who is a free agent for the first time in his career. The fear is that he could get out on the open market and never return. Mack is a former Defensive Player of the Year and a future Hall of Famer. He has made the pro bowl in all three seasons with the Chargers.
The Chargers could save $25.360 million against the salary cap by cutting Bosa, but that might not make sense if Mack could leave as well. Bosa is due a roster bonus of $12.360 million on March 12, which is also the first official day of free agency in the NFL. The draft is strong at edge defender and the Chargers should draft an edge defender in the first three rounds, regardless of what they do with Mack and Bosa.
Cornerback – The draft is strong in this area, and this could be where the Chargers focus. But if they do decide to pursue a free agent cornerback, Byron Murphy Jr. might be a good fit for the Chargers. Murphy had six interceptions in 2024 for the Vikings and made the pro bowl. He is just 27 years old. He is versatile, with the ability to play inside or outside.