MARCH 10: Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated confirms the Chargers have had “exploratory trade talks” concerning not only Bosa and Mack, but also both members of the Allen-Williams receiver tandem. Of those, Breer unsurprisingly notes Allen is the likeliest to stay, something which matches the veteran’s comments on his future. Still, a cost-shedding move of some kind could be coming soon on Los Angeles’ part.
MARCH 9: According to OverTheCap.com, the Chargers have the second-least amount of cap space in the NFL with only the Dolphins exceeding the salary cap by more than Los Angeles. They’re currently $21.14MM over the salary cap and are set to eat $27.31MM of dead money in 2024, also second-most in the NFL.
As a result, it appears the Chargers are exploring options to clear some cap space while potentially bringing in a bit of draft capital, as well. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the team is currently “open to trade offers for many veteran players including Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack.” 
Mack and Bosa currently make up the team’s largest two cap hits at $38.52MM and $36.61MM, respectively. Trading those two players alone, the team would be able to clear out $23.25MM (Mack) and $14.39MM (Bosa) of cap savings, though the team would be eating $15.27MM (Mack) and $22.22MM (Bosa) of dead money in the deals. The report from Russini also says “many veteran players,” though, and the next three biggest cap hits on the roster are veteran receivers Keenan Allen ($34.72MM) and Mike Williams ($32.46MM) and safety Derwin James ($19.86MM).
Would the Chargers really get rid of quarterback Justin Herbert‘s top two targets? Allen has been one of the league’s more consistent producers since 2017, as long as he stays on the field. Over that time, Allen has averaged around 75 yards per game and can usually deliver six to eight touchdowns. He’s missed 40 of a possible 179 career games, including 11 in the past two seasons, but despite four missed games in 2023, Allen averaged a career-high 95.6 yards per game and scored seven touchdowns at 31 years old.
Williams has also missed his fair share of games (27 of a possible 115), including 14 games missed with a torn ACL in 2023. When healthy, Williams has established himself as a strong WR2, twice surpassing 1,000 receiving yards and twice surpassing nine receiving touchdowns. Williams struggles to provide the same consistency as Allen but is still a strong contributor. If traded, Allen would provide $23.1MM of cap savings and result in $11.62MM of dead money, while a trade of Williams could provide $20MM of cap savings and result in $12.46MM of dead money.
James is yet another high-cost player who has struggled to stay on the field in his career. After appearing in every game as a rookie, James has missed 33 of a possible 83 games since. Despite leading the team in tackles this year, James had the worst NFL season of his career, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), grading out as the 71st best safety out of 95 graded players. Before this season, James hadn’t graded out worse than 12th. He showed decent pass rush and run defense in 2023, but graded out poorly in coverage. A James-trade would need to be a post-June 1 transaction. If traded pre-June 1, James would still cost the Chargers $1.46MM of cap space, while a post-June 1 designation would save the team $12.75MM of cap space.
Those players are all question marks, but Mack and Bosa have been blatantly named. Bosa started his career as one of the league’s most electric pass rushers with 23.0 sacks in his first two years, despite missing four games his rookie year. While he still threatens to put up double-digit sacks each year, he has to stay on the field in order to do so, and he has missed half the season three times in his career, including the most recent two seasons. If his physical shows the potential for a full return to form, he could fetch a high price in trade talks.
Los Angeles will try to sell high on Mack, who had a career year at 32 years old. Mack was a world-beater early in his career, racking up 40.5 sacks and a Defensive Player of the Year award with the Raiders. Though his production dipped a bit after getting traded to Chicago, Mack still made three straight Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams as a Bear. Mack was traded once again to the Chargers in 2022, and after a decent first season in LA, Mack delivered a career-high 17.0 sacks in 2023, his first time delivering double-digit sacks since his first year in Chicago in 2018.
It’s unclear just how much Los Angeles is willing to part with this spring. Clearly, “many veteran players” have been advertised as available, including Mack and Bosa, but it’s hard to say just how many of those high-cap players will be shipped out. There are other ways to try and lower the players’ cap impacts, like restructures to current deals, but the easiest way may be to clear them off your books (for the most part) and get something in return. It will be interesting to see how much the Chargers are willing to give up in order to rebuild around Herbert.
Open? No kidding. They might have to cut Mack if they don’t. Astonishing that the GM who left the Chargers cap in this situation immediately got another GM job.
Yes, but it was the Raiders who hired him. Not the best track record of GMs lately.
I think Mark Davis just felt bad for the guy after whacking his team 63-21.
There may be some openings at the Buccaneers, Although I am not sure what their cap space is like or what the Chargers would want in trade
Bosa is not his brother and I am not sure as to how much Mack has left in the tank, but they are both good players
Mack as a replacment to Shaq. Anything would be a 1 yr, they need to sign Winfield and Wirfs long term.
That could work
Damn lmao. Bosa to cowboys would be something. Those are some super contracts. Patriots and commanders have plenty of money. They could use Bosa or Mack
Bosa isn’t a winner, no thanks……and Mack, yea…5 years ago
Mack had 17 sacks last year…
Take the Raider game out and he had 11.
Oh just 11. Ok.
Relax just joking, Mack can still be great help for a contending team.
Yeah, only 11, dude is washed..Practically just garbage at this point. Lol
Can’t see anyone taking on either Mack or Bosa at those cap hits plus whatever asking price the Chargers want. If Bosa gets cut, I could see him signing a short-term deal with the Niners to play with his brother (they’ve both stated they would like to play with each other at some point in their careers).
Those cap hits are only what the Chargers face. A team acquiring either player will deal with a much lower cap hit as the Chargers will be responsible for the signing bonus proration.
But they’d still need to pay the high salary in addition to giving up valued draft picks. That’s why teams often wait for the cuts…so they don’t create their own cap nightmares.
It’s 23 million for Mack and 22 million for Bosa, with nothing guaranteed after 2024. Williams is an easy cut, but there will be interest, for mid-late round picks, in the edge guys at those prices. The Chargers can also eat some of the money to make the deals more attractive.
I’ve no misery with Bosa or Williams being traded for value. Mack I’m not against as he brings more than just beef. Allen is consistently the best receiver on this team.
I’d replace RT and C, either draft or FA.
Draft TE and WR and bring back some of the DBs that showed up in ‘23.
Misery is trying to figure out the new GM and Harbaugh – no idea what is rolling around their grey matter!
So the entire off season is a mystery with the ‘new’ and unknown.
NBA style sign and trade, Joey Bosa for Chase Young. The Bosa brothers can line up together in San Fran on the best defence in the league.
Meanwhile LA gets the younger and slightly cheaper defensive threat.
I’d cut Mike Williams, coming off an ACL tear at 29 years old, you can easily replace him as WR2 in the draft for a fraction of the cost.
Corey Lindsay will retire and save you money.
I’d try rework Mack and Allen’s deals and pull some more savings there.
Austin Ekler definitely isn’t returning
Draft in Brock Bowers at 5, he goes along way in replacing Williams as a receiver, while also being a great blocker. You’ve got a nice young o line, Allen is a great WR1. In the second round you need a CB and fingers crossed Kool-Aid McKinstry continues to fall off the back of his injury, that would be huge.
Wouldn’t bother wasting a pick on a RB. There’s plenty in FA you could pick up for cheap, I’d be looking at AJ Dillon, Kareem Hunt and Zeke to share the workload with Spiller.
Chase Young is a free agent.
Exactly why I said NBA style sign and trade lol
We read it. We understood it. Question is why would Chase Young agree to do that when he isn’t under contract?
See L Jarius Sneer is under contract via the franchise tag. So he doesn’t have much of a choice in picking his destination like young does.
NBA style trades happen this way because teams with less cap space can absorb a larger contract by matching salaries with other contracts they have already, It opens new destinations .
Thats not a thing in the NFL. Free agent players are rarely if ever signed and traded. Cause cap situations are different in NFL vs NBA.
NBA also allows the team that had the player to offer more. The sign and trades are due to the player being able to get more and the “Bird Rights” would then transfer to the new team and stuff like that. The NFL has nothing like that which is why sign and trades don’t happen. Tag and trades are different but no benefit of a UFA signing to be traded when they can just go to the other team with the cap.
Except Young is not under contract anymore.
Man reading comprehension and having a laugh goes right over some of y’all heads sometimes
Again. We read it. We understood it. Why would Chase Young agree to it when he can already pick his destination? Why would he willingly be part of a sign and trade to the Chargers?
It was a dumb idea.
NBA players gain the ability to go to new teams willing to pay them who don’t have as much cap space.
The NFL doesn’t operate on that principal of matching salaries because signing Chase Young to an extension doesn’t alleviate dead cap hits and doesn’t alleviate the chargers cap issues.
You are wasting your time.
If you trade Mack and Bosa they would be over $22mm in cap hit to the acquiring teams, as stated before teams would rather wait for them to be released and sign them at a lower salary. As for Lindsay his dead cap hit IF he retires is still almost $3m. These 3 players alone who be leaving the Chargers in serious dead cap hell. It’s gonna take a few years to get out of this. Good Luck!
I never said trade Mack or Bosa.
I said trade Bosa, Cut Williams, Lindsay retire and let Ekler walk. Maybe try restructure Allen and/or Mack.
Chargers should trade guys for sure. Defense hasn’t lived up to the hype.
Bosa to the Texans makes a lot sense. Pass rusher opposite Anderson gives them a formidable tandem. But doubt Texans wanna invest that much into Bosa.
My predictions if guys are moved
Bosa to Browns to pair him with Garrett.
Mack to Cowboys to pair with Parsons
James to Seahawks to replace Adams/Diggs departures
Allen to Carolina to give Young the #1 he needs. Chargers could take back Theilen to increase their draft return from Carolina
Williams to Jets to pair with Garret Wilson. Chargers could take back Allen Lazard for increased draft return from Jets
All your getting for these guys are 4th,5th or 6th round picks and that’s at the trade dead line. Chargers are in salary cap purgatory and Harbaugh is going to gut this team and it’s going to be 2+ year rebuild.
Getting something worthwhile for Bosa would be a coup, as his injury history doesn’t make him worth his cap hit.
Will be interesting to see if Harbaugh can build a team. He walked into a turnkey operation that had just been coached terribly with the 49ers. Scott McCloughan stacked that team. I know that’s the narrative with the Chargers under Staley and Lynn, but I don’t think so, which made the Telesco hire all the more bizarre for the Raiders. Those Charger teams had a lot of holes.
Mike Williams would look good in Baltimore
Call your brother.
Would love for Bosa or Mack to the Rams
Put Bosa on the 49ers with his brother. That could be fun.
Telasco left this team in a mess. He struck out on all three head coaching hires and now this mess.
It seems likely that Jim (sneak a peek) Harbaugh doesn’t want to deal with any long time veterans who might challenge his authority.
Dumb take. He had no problem with the Vets in SF. The chargers roster is just not that good, and not nearly as well managed, salary cap wise.
I would say one of them to the Lions opposite Hutch, but no thanks. Bosa is a walking/talking medical room and Mack is too old. Yes, he did have 17 sacks this season but these numbers will go drastically down soon and that’s too much money to risk on it being soon for the Lions. They need to be spot on with who they bring in as a CB1 and a 2nd edge, b/c that’s all we are lacking to become a legitimate SB contender. Way too much money to risk on either of these guys!
I know I’m wrong.
I know I’m wrong.
And, finally, I know I’m wrong.
A Mack reunion with the Raiders? The fans would love it, and he can personally apologize to O’Connell for the cleat marks on his back.
Mack back to Raiders? Hmm. Interesting.
Commanders have massive cap space. Need help/experience on d side of ball. Bosa or Mack could be fits.
Of the two I can see the Chargers trading Mack. Jim Harbaugh knows firsthand the impact Joey Bosa has. But at the same time I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade both. They will fetch a hefty return and the Chargers need the cap space. The old GM left them in a bad spot. I’m not a Michigan fan but a Michigan State fan but I have faith that Harbaugh and Jessie Minter will turn that defense around. Minter was on staff with Baltimore when John Harbaugh brought Mike McDonald back up to the big boys league as DC. Jack, John and Jim Harbaugh are great coaches. Call Jim a cheater all you want but I believe him that he had no idea about the sign stealing stuff. Michigan was so dominant it didn’t matter if they knew the other teams sign plays or not. So on that note I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chargers load up on Michigan players after the first round.