The Chargers won’t grant guard Chad Rinehart a third year in San Diego, and it will save more than $3MM as a result, according to San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Michael Gehlken on Twitter.
At the close of the 2014 league year, Rinehart was set to be the Chargers’ highest-paid offensive lineman after the team re-signed him to a two-year, $6MM deal last March. As a result of his impending release, San Diego saves $3.25MM in cap room but incurs a dead-money penalty of $1MM, per OverTheCap.
A starter in the majority of the games he’s played in six seasons for Washington, the Bills and Chargers, Rinehart regressed significantly last year after a decent initial campaign in San Diego, ranking as the fifth-worst guard Pro Football Focus (subscription required) measured. Last season marked the first time Rinehart started in 16 games, however.
The offensive front’s financial structure changed once the Chargers poached Orlando Franklin, likely Rinehart’s replacement, from the Broncos today and signed King Dunlap to an extension last month.