AFC West Contract Details: Thornton, Koonce, Tomlinson, Booker
Here are the latest details from contracts recently reached in the AFC West:
- Tyquan Thornton, WR (Chiefs): Two years, $11MM. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Thornton’s new deal has $7.4MM in guaranteed money at signing, including a $4MM signing bonus. The remaining guaranteed money comes from his 2026 salary ($1.4MM) and $2MM of his 2027 salary ($5.4MM).
- Malcolm Koonce, DE (Raiders): One year, $11.01MM. Per Wilson, Koonce’s re-upped agreement is worth slightly more than the originally reported figure of $11MM. The one-year deal has $10.5MM guaranteed at signing, made up of a $5.25MM signing bonus and a single-year base salary for the same $5.25MM amount. Koonce will have the chance to earn an additional $510K by making the most of a $30K per game active roster bonus.
- Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (Chargers): One year, $6.2MM. Disputing an originally reported amount of $7.5MM with $6MM guaranteed, Wilson reports the above-stated base value with $5.69MM fully guaranteed at signing, comprised of a $3MM signing bonus and Tomlinson’s 2026 base salary ($2.69MM). Like Koonce, Tomlinson can earn an additional $510K with his $30K per game active roster bonus.
- Thomas Booker, DE (Raiders): One year, $3.67MM. According to Wilson, Booker signed his free agent tender at the above-stated value.
- Spencer Burford, G (Raiders): One year, $3.26MM. Per Wilson, Burford’s deal includes $2.75MM in guaranteed money at signing, consisting of a $1.5MM signing bonus and his 2026 base salary ($1.25MM). Burford will also enjoy the same per game active roster bonus potential as Koonce and Tomlinson for as much as $510K.
- Denzel Perryman, LB (Chargers): One year, $2.79MM. Per Wilson, Perryman’s contract only contains $500K in guaranteed money at signing, consisting of a $200K signing bonus and $300K of base salary ($1.3MM). The bulk of Perryman’s contract value comes in an inflated per game active roster bonus. Unlike the others, Perryman’s bonus is $70K per game with a potential maximum value of $1.19MM.
- Trey Lance, QB (Chargers): One year, $2.5MM. While the maximum value of $6.75MM was known, the above-stated base value was previously unreported. Per Wilson, the deal for Lance includes $2MM fully guaranteed at signing made up of an $800K signing bonus and $1.2MM of his base salary ($1.7MM). That means $4MM will be available in incentives for Lance in 2026.
- Josh Harris, LS (Chargers): One year, $1.82MM. According to Wilson, the long snapper’s deal is fully guaranteed at signing with a $187.5K signing bonus and base salary of $1.63MM.
- Kader Kohou, CB (Chiefs): One year, $1.81MM. Wilson reports that Kohou’s deal is also fully guaranteed with a signing bonus of $665K and base salary of $1.15MM.
- Matt Gay, K (Raiders): One year, $1.6MM. Per Wilson, the Raiders’ new kicker can earn up to $2.25MM on this contract that only has $1.35MM of guaranteed money at signing, $200K from his signing bonus and $1.15MM of his base salary ($1.4MM). $650K will be available to Gay through an incentive based on his field goal percentage.
- Mike Caliendo, G (Chiefs): One year, $1.35MM. Per Wilson, Caliendo’s new deal includes $650K fully guaranteed at signing, consisting of a signing bonus of $150K and $500K of his base salary ($1.15MM). Caliendo can also earn up to $50K with a per game active roster bonus of $2.94K.
- Emari Demercado, RB (Chiefs): One year, $1.25MM. According to Wilson, Demercado’s contract includes $550K of full guarantees at signing made up of a $50K signing bonus and $500K of his base salary ($1.15MM). He’ll have the same per game active roster bonus as Caliendo, giving him the potential to add on another $50K in 2026.
Chargers To Re-Sign LB Denzel Perryman
Denzel Perryman will be back in Los Angeles next season. The veteran linebacker is re-signing with the Chargers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. It will be a one-year deal for the veteran.
Perryman spent the first six seasons of his career with the organization, and he rejoined the Chargers ahead of the 2024 campaign. This will be the third-straight offseason that Perryman’s inked a one-year deal with the franchise. He earned around $3MM on each of his last two deals, and we can assume he’ll be earning a similar sum in 2026.
The linebacker has started all 21 of his appearances with the Chargers over the past two seasons, appearing in about half of his team’s defensive snaps. A groin injury forced him to miss a chunk of games during his first year back with the organization, and a high ankle sprain sidelined him for much of the first two months of the 2025 campaign. He was also inactive for the final two games of last season after being hit with a suspension for his repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.
That was the player’s second career suspension, as he was also served a two-game ban during his lone season in Houston in 2023. Before that Texans stint, he spent two seasons with the Raiders, including a 2021 campaign where he tallied a career-high 154 tackles. A 2015 second-round pick, Perryman spent the first six seasons of his career with the Chargers, where he compiled 349 stops and five sacks in 69 games.
Perryman will likely play a similar role in Los Angeles next season. The team is set to return their primary linebackers corps, which also includes Daiyan Henley and Troy Dye.
Chargers LB Denzel Perryman Issued Two-Game Suspension
TODAY: Perryman’s suspension has been upheld, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
DECEMBER 22: The Chargers’ defense has been among the league’s best in 2025. The unit is set to be shorthanded for the closing stages of the regular season, however.
Linebacker Denzel Perryman has been issued a two-game suspension, the NFL announced on Monday. Perryman’s discipline comes in the wake of repeated violations of “playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.” This ban stems from a play during yesterday’s game against the Cowboys.
“During the second quarter, Perryman was penalized for unnecessary roughness for delivering a forcible blow to the helmet of Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy while he was on the ground after making a catch,” a league statement reads in part (h/t Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).
Perryman received an unnecessary roughness penalty on the play in question. He is eligible to appeal the suspension. Otherwise, the 33-year-old will be sidelined for Week 17 against the Texans and Week 18 against the Broncos. Los Angeles sits at 11-4 on the year. The season finale against Denver could prove to be pivotal in deciding the AFC West and potentially the No. 1 seed in the conference.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports Perryman will indeed appeal his suspension. The hearing on the matter will take place tomorrow. As a result, it will not take long to find out if the two-game ban will be upheld or if its length will be reduced. Perryman has totaled 47 tackles in 10 games this season, his second with the Chargers.
Los Angeles ranks in the top 10 in the NFL across several defensive categories this season. Maintaining that level of play will be critical down the stretch and into the playoffs. As it stands now, however, Perryman will not be available for the next two weeks.
Chargers Activate Khalil Mack, Denzel Perryman From IR
The Chargers are getting back a couple of key defenders for a Week 7 showdown with the Colts. The team announced that it has activated outside linebacker Khalil Mack and linebacker Denzel Perryman from injured reserve.
The Chargers have gone without Mack since he dislocated his elbow in a Week 2 win over the Raiders. He’ll return after sitting out the minimum of four games. The injury was a rare late-career setback for the nine-time Pro Bowler, who missed just one game during his first three years as a Charger.
A few weeks after Mack went down, the Chargers acquired OLB Odafe Oweh from the Ravens. Mack will now team with him for the first time and rejoin Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree to form a strong group of pass rushers. Despite Mack’s absence, the Chargers are tied for sixth in the league in sacks (16).
Perryman has barely been a factor this year after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Chargers’ season-opening win against the Chiefs. The 32-year-old played just eight defensive snaps in that game. Perryman has dealt with a laundry list of injuries throughout his career and never played more than 15 games in a season. Fortunately for the Chargers, they have a capable fallback option in Troy Dye, who worked as a starter alongside Daiyan Henley during Perryman’s IR stint. Dye has racked up 42 tackles and a sack while logging a 72.4% snap share.
Along with welcoming back Mack and Perryman, the Chargers made a few other moves on Saturday. They waived OLB Caleb Murphy, signed long snapper Rick Lovato to the practice squad and elevated him for Week 7, and elevated running back Nyheim Miller-Hines from the P-squad.
Chargers To Open LB Denzel Perryman’s Practice Window
The Chargers have gone without injured linebacker Denzel Perryman for almost the entire season, but a return is on the horizon. The team plans to open Perryman’s practice window this week, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced (via Kris Rihm of ESPN). When that becomes official, the Chargers will have 21 days to activate Perryman from injured reserve.
[RELATED: Omarion Hampton Heads To IR]
The Chargers won their season opener over the AFC West rival Chiefs in Brazil on Sept. 5, but they lost Perryman to a high ankle sprain after he took just eight defensive snaps. While the team went on to a 3-0 start without Perryman, it has since dropped back-to-back games to the Giants and Commanders to fall to 3-2.
Thanks to their two-game skid, the Chargers now own the same record as the division-rival Broncos. The reigning AFC champion Chiefs could join those two as the division’s third 3-2 club if they pull out a road win over the Jaguars on Monday.
With Perryman out of commission, Troy Dye has taken over as a starter at linebacker alongside Daiyan Henley. Dye, mostly a backup for the Vikings and Chargers from 2020-24, has totaled 36 tackles and a sack this year. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranks his performance a respectable 30th among 74 qualifiers at his position.
At the very least, the Chargers seem to have a capable fallback option in Dye, which is important in light of Perryman’s extensive injury history. Along with already missing four full games in 2025, Perryman sat out either five or six contests in each of the previous three seasons. The 32-year-old has missed at least two games in all 11 of his NFL seasons since the Chargers chose him in the second round of the 2015 draft.
After stints with the Raiders and Texans, Perryman reunited with the Chargers before the 2024 campaign. He picked up 55 tackles and a sack in 11 games last season, leading the Chargers to re-sign the former Pro Bowler to a a one-year, $3.65MM deal in March.
Chargers Place LB Denzel Perryman On IR
Denzel Perryman suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1, ensuring he would miss time. To little surprise, the veteran linebacker now finds himself on injured reserve.
Perryman was moved to IR on Monday, per a team announcement. Tonight’s matchup against the Raiders will mark the first of at least four games he will be required to miss.
The linebacker was limited to only eight defensive snaps in Week 1 before exiting the contest with his injury. The team kept the door open to a quick return, although the writing was on the wall when Perryman didn’t practice during the lead up to tonight’s matchup with the Raiders.
A former Chargers second-round pick, Perryman signed on for his second stint with the organization ahead of the 2024 campaign. He was limited to 11 games last year thanks to a handful of injuries, but he still managed to compile 55 tackles and one sack.
Troy Dye is likely to reprise his role as a starter at the second level of the team’s defense after filling in for Perryman in Week 1. The veteran started five games in 2024, and he finished his first season in Los Angeles with 57 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Marlowe Wax and Del’Shawn Phillips could also see an uptick in playing time while their teammate is sidelined.
The Chargers made a handful of additional moves ahead of their Week 2 contest. The team signed long snapper Rick Lovato to the 53-man roster, and they elevated both safety Tony Jefferson and linebacker Kana’i Mauga from the practice squad.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Chargers LB Denzel Perryman Suffers High Ankle Sprain
The Chargers secured a win in Week 1, but their defense suffered a notable loss along the way. Linebacker Denzel Perryman departed early in the contest, and he was in a walking boot after the game.
Testing has taken place, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports a high ankle sprain has been diagnosed. As a result, missed time is in store. High ankle sprains tend to carry a recovery timeline of multiple weeks, so a move to injured reserve could be in store.
[RELATED: Chargers DC Jesse Minter Potential 2026 HC Candidate?]
An IR stint would require at least a four-game absence, so it will be interesting to see how the Chargers proceed in this case. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said on Monday (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim) no decision regarding IR has been made yet. Perryman played eight snaps on Friday before suffering the injury. His departure represented a blow to the Chargers’ defense, although the unit nevertheless enjoyed a solid outing in the 27-21 win over the Chiefs.
Perryman has served as a full-time starter for much of his career, including his second Chargers stint. The 32-year-old returned to Los Angeles last offseason on a one-year pact. He was limited to 11 games, but when on the field the former second-rounder was a key figure defensively. Perryman took another one-year deal in March to stay with the Bolts, and by late May he was fully recovered from the elbow injury he suffered in the wild-card round.
A fully healthy season would have been critical for team and player, but that will not be the case in 2025. Perryman is set to spend time on the shelf, something which will leave Los Angeles thin at the second level. Junior Colson was placed on season-ending injured reserve during roster cuts due to a shoulder injury. 2023 third-rounder Daiyan Henley and sixth-year veteran Troy Dye handled much of the linebacker work on Friday, and that will likely continue with Perryman sidelined.
The former Pro Bowler’s 2026 market value will take a hit with further missed time. In the event the Chargers do not move him to injured reserve, however, Perryman will be eligible to return within the next four weeks.
AFC West Notes: Broncos, Adams, Perryman
Nik Bonitto played in the Broncos‘ preseason opener but will miss some time leading up to the season. The 2024 All-Pro selection is down because of a procedure to have a bone spur removed in the top of his foot, per 9News’ Mike Klis. Sean Payton expects Bonitto to be ready to return by next week, though it can be safely assumed the edge rusher’s preseason is over. The Broncos also have an extension to sort out with Bonitto, who is entering a contract year. Denver has reached agreements with Courtland Sutton and Zach Allen during training camp, and a few Bonitto contract rumors have circulated this offseason.
This injury rehab stretch could give Bonitto’s camp time to hammer out a deal before the team’s top sack artist returns to practice, though the prospect of a Micah Parsons Cowboys extension raising the market’s ceiling — and thus the kind of deal Bonitto could command south of Parsons’ price point — could factor into the proceedings here.
Here is the latest from the AFC West:
- Another injury development coming out of Denver is not as kind. Fullback/tight end Nate Adkins will miss regular-season time due to a tightrope procedure to address a high ankle sprain, Payton said. Adkins could be a candidate for one of the Broncos’ two allotted August IR-return slots. Teams must announce the players for those spots by roster-cutdown day August 26. Those moves count toward teams’ eight injury activations — whether the player is eventually activated or not — in-season. Adkins played a healthy amount of snaps last season, logging 420 during a 10-start season. He caught 14 passes for 115 yards and three TDs last season, his second with the Broncos.
- The Broncos might need to consider a fourth active-roster RB due to J.K. Dobbins‘ injury history; their early hierarchy may exclude a 2024 draft pick. Audric Estime did not enter the team’s preseason opener until the third quarter, as his entrance came after Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie saw action. The Broncos also have Blake Watson as a candidate, and the 2024 UDFA entered the game in the second half as well. Estime is firmly on the roster bubble, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel notes. It would not surprise if the team aimed to trade one of its options before cutdown day later this month, but ensuring two of these players are rostered behind Dobbins and R.J. Harvey would make sense as well.
- Jamal Adams is vying for a Raiders roster spot and doing so, technically, at a new position. Adams is giving linebacker another try, confirming (via the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore) Pete Carroll told him immediately he would be working there. The Seahawks had asked Adams to play linebacker before, but he declined at the time. The 2024 Seattle cap casualty played sparingly as a backup with the Titans and Lions, representing a steep fall from formerly signing a safety-record extension. Adams’ best work has always come in the box or as a safety blitzer, making a linebacker transition more natural. On a one-year, $1.26MM contract with no guarantees, the ninth-year vet is also not exactly in a position to refuse such a request.
- The gun charges against linebacker Denzel Perryman has been dropped, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes. Perryman was arrested on felony weapons charges during a traffic stop earlier this month. Five firearms, including two assault-style rifles, were found in the Chargers defender’s vehicle. He was initially held without bail, but ESPN.com’s Kris Rhim notes Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman declined to file charges. Perryman is on a one-year, $2.66MM deal to continue a second Chargers stint.
Chargers LB Denzel Perryman Arrested On Felony Weapons Charges
Veteran Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman was arrested last night after a traffic stop for vehicle code violations resulted in the discovery of five firearms, including two assault-style rifles. According to a statement by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim), Perryman was cooperative with the deputies, booked on felony weapons violation charges, and is being held without bail. TMZ was first to report.
An early statement from the Chargers (via Daniel Popper of The Athletic) told the media they “are aware of a matter involving Denzel and are gathering information.” While a statement from Perryman’s agent (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport) divulged that they “are still gathering facts…will fully cooperate with the process…do not take this situation lightly… (and) remain confident that the matter will be resolved fairly and in accordance with the law.”
Described by his agent as “a respected veteran” on the Chargers defense, Perryman’s career in the NFL has been one of ups and downs. Getting drafted to San Diego in the second round out of Miami (FL), Perryman showed talent early, earning a starting role six games into his 2015 rookie year, but injuries quickly became a point of issue. After only missing two games in Year 1, Perryman wouldn’t play in 14 games in a single season again until 2019, missing 20 games in the three seasons between.
Despite his frequent absences, Los Angeles extended him for two years after his rookie contract, but after first-round rookie Kenneth Murray and a third-year Kyzir White began to blossom, they allowed him to walk in free agency after six years with the franchise. In free agency, Perryman signed with a Panthers team a year removed from Luke Kuechly‘s sudden retirement. Ultimately, though, Carolina traded Perryman just before the start of the regular season to the Raiders.
In Las Vegas, Perryman had a career year at 29 years old. He started 15 games, finished sixth in the league with 154 total tackles (fifth in the NFL with 102 solo tackles), and earned his first and only Pro Bowl bid. A second strong season in Vegas saw his tackles decrease as he missed five games, but he still showed a renewed level of competition with two interceptions and 14 tackles for loss. He joined the Texans in free agency the next year, missing two games due to suspension and three to injury, and landed back with the team that drafted him last year, starting 11 games for his old squad.
Once a promising young, injury-prone, linebacker who lost his starting role in Los Angeles, Perryman went on to be a full-time starter for two other franchises, playing the best ball of his career, before coming back and securing a similar role with his old team last year. At 32 years old, Perryman is playing year-to-year on contracts at this point, but he was still expected to be a starter and a leader for a young group of up-and-coming backers in Daiyan Henley, Troy Dye, and Junior Colson.
With so many youthful options in the room, though, Perryman’s hold on a roster spot may be weakened by the events of last night. It’s unclear if last night’s arrest will lead to any discipline from the league or team, but details are sure to follow in the coming days.
Chargers LB Denzel Perryman Fully Healthy
Denzel Perryman exited the Chargers’ wild-card loss with an elbow injury, one which required a notable recovery process. The veteran linebacker has returned to full strength, however.
Perryman recently revealed he has been cleared (h/t team reporter Eric Smith). As a result, he will be able to participate fully in the team’s upcoming OTAs as well as minicamp in June. A healthy campaign will be key for the 32-year-old since he enters the season as a pending free agent.
Perryman spent his first six seasons with the Chargers before signing with the Panthers in 2021. By the team the season started, he found himself back in the AFC West by means of a trade to the Raiders. The former second-rounder spent one season in Vegas, enjoying a career year and earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way. That was followed by another one-and-done campaign, this time with the Texans.
Last spring, Perryman returned to the Bolts on a one-year deal. He reprised his role as a full-time starter at the linebacker spot, registering 55 tackles and one sack in 11 regular season games. The Miami product managed to return for Los Angeles’ wild-card loss to Houston, but he was sidelined for much of the contest due to the elbow ailment. During the opening stages of free agency this year, Perryman secured another one-year Chargers pact.
That deal – which contains a base value of $2.65MM and includes up to $1.1MM in bonuses – will be expected to again yield a strong showing for the Chargers’ defense. In 2024, under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Los Angeles enjoyed a notable rebound on that side of the ball. Perryman will aim to continue as a first-team presence and in doing so help his market value for 2026.
The Chargers also have the likes of Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley and Troy Dye in place at the linebacker spot. That position group will be expected to deliver strong production as the team looks to reach the postseason once more in 2025, and a return to health in Perryman’s case will be a welcomed development.