The Chargers will sign offensive tackle Russell Okung to four-year, $53MM deal, per Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). The pact contains $25MM guaranteed, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.
Los Angeles is stealing away a division rival’s left tackle in Okung, who previously negotiated his own contract last offseason when he left Seattle for Denver. His four-year, $48MM deal with the Broncos came with an escape clause for the team after 2016 that Denver took advantage of. Okung, to his credit, posted the first 16-start season of his seven-year career with the Broncos. The 29-year-old didn’t play at an especially high level, though, as Pro Football Focus ranked his performance a middling 38th among 78 qualified tackles.
In addition to the Chargers and Broncos, Okung had also been linked to the Vikings, Jets, Giants, Rams, and Seahawks. As such, Okung was able to parlay that level of interest into a deal that appears to be larger than his option would have provided. The total value is $5MM greater, and while we’ll have to wait for exact fully guaranteed figures, Okung was only set to earn $20.5MM guaranteed in his remaining Denver years.
The addition of Okung will likely lead to the release of incumbent Chargers left tackle King Dunlap. The 31-year-old is coming off his second straight injury-shortened campaign, having combined for 19 appearances (12 last season) since 2015. A four-year Charger, Dunlap has started in all 46 of his appearances with the club. If done as as a pre-June 1 designation, cutting Dunlap would save the Bolts $4.875MM and leave with $3.25MM in dead money.
Wow $53MM
He will never see $53M!!!!
Wow really trying to go for that worst run NFL franchise title huh Chargers. Okung may have played all 16 games last year but he was outright terrible. To pay him like a top tier LT is a joke.
Typical Chargers move! Way overpay for a below average player! Yeah, that’ll get to StubHub.
laughing at the over reacting. lol
Okung should do well in HC Lynns new running scheme. He looked Average in Denvers zone scheme. … $13.5M guaranteed isnt bad either, especially over 4 yrs, looks more like a “prove it” contract front loaded. very smart.
i hope that it works out for the Chargers.
most bronco fans/friends were upset, but now…are wondering who their LT will be. so i get the hate.
offensive* (not just running) scheme