The NFL’s Franchise Tag season is upon us. Teams who can’t work out long-term deals with pending free agents can now slap the Tag on players, giving them one more year to try and get a beefier contract done.
I would be surprised if the Chargers used their Franchise Tag in 2016. Although Antonio Gates is a free agent they can very likely get him on a contract that’s worth a lot less than the fully guaranteed $9 million a Franchised tight end is projected to get. That’s also the reason Ladarius Green will likely not receive the Tag.
The only other player who would be worth the tag, financially speaking, is safety Eric Weddle and … well, as hilarious as it would be to see them do that, the page has been turned.
The Bolts are expected to have about $33 million in salary cap space, more if they cut a few salaries (yes, Donald Butler is on the block but he would likely be a wash in terms of freeing up cap money in 2016). So let’s take a look at what the Chargers need to do in free agency.
Oh, and I should mention this list does not include guys who are likely to get their team’s Franchise Tag, so you won’t find names like Von Miller, Josh Norman and Alshon Jeffery.
1) Re-sign Joe Barksdale, Chris Hairston, Ladarius Green, Ricardo Mathews, Dontrelle Inman and Jahleel Addae
Let’s start with the guys they already have. Barksdale absolutely earned a new deal after playing well at right tackle (and left tackle) in 2015. I know Hairston took a lot of grief from Chargers fans but he played through a ton of injuries and Philip Rivers loves the guy. Mathews provides solid depth, although he should not be relied on as a regular starter. All of those guys are unrestricted free agents. Inman and Addae are a little different types of free agents. Both played well enough to earn contract tenders. Everyone else is free to go.
2) Center Alex Mack (CLE)
In 2013 the Chargers offensive line was thrown together with Bondo and duct tape and ended up being one of the Top-10 lines in the NFL. That was the last year they had Nick Hardwick at center. The line just hasn’t been the same since Nick got hurt, retired, and lost the equivalent of a kicker in body weight. Mack is a Pro Bowl-caliber center who is expected to opt out of his contract in Cleveland to test the free agent waters. The Chargers could do a lot worse than nabbing him to fix the line (which will also be helped by the return of offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt).
3) Defensive Tackle Jaye Howard (KC) or Malik Jackson (DEN)
This assumes Muhammad Wilkerson gets the Franchise Tag in New York. The Chargers need help on the interior line in a big way. If they’re going to keep playing a base 3-4, and all indications are that’s the plan, they need to find guys who can make a difference at the nose. Jackson will likely be the more expensive of the two. He was dominant during Denver’s Super Bowl run and excels as a run stopper. Howard is probably going to be had a little cheaper but he might be an even better pass rusher than Jackson and that’s what the Bolts really need help with. Plus, both of these guys bring the added bonus of stealing from a division rival.
4) Safety Eric Berry (KC) or Tashaun Gipson (CLE)
Weddle leaves a massive hole in the back of the San Diego defense. The Chiefs would love to keep Berry but with Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali also facing free agency, Kansas City has a tough decision to make and it’s no guarantee all of them will stick around. Any of the three could get the Franchise Tag or work out a long-term deal but if Berry hits the open market the Bolts need to be first in line to talk to him. Gipson is not a household name but he’s a solid football player with a nose for the football, as his 14 interceptions over the last four seasons would indicate. Those 14 picks in four years are only five fewer than Weddle has in nine years, by the way.
Those are the targets I see. What do you all think? Let us know in the comments.
