Chargers To Re-Sign QB Chase Daniel
The Chargers have made it clear they are going all-in during Justin Herbert‘s rookie contract. One of the smaller moves they have made during free agency is retaining his backup QB. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team is re-signing Chase Daniel to a one-year, 2.25MM deal (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: Chargers To Sign CB J.C. Jackson]
The 35-year-old signed in L.A. last year, making the Chargers his sixth NFL team. The career backup had spent time with the Saints, Chiefs, Eagles, Bears and Lions previously. He appeared in a single game in 2021, but did not attempt any passes.
The former Missouri Tiger originally signed a three-year deal with Detroit, but the team ended up releasing him after they were unable to find a trade partner. In Los Angeles, he reunited with both head coach Brandon Staley and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.
While he wasn’t needed on the field, Daniel obviously made a good impression with the Bolts. He took over Tyrod Taylor‘s role of mentoring Herbert while providing experienced depth, something which will now continue for at least one more campaign. If the Chargers’ major moves made already pay off as they hope, he may even find himself getting a Super Bowl ring for the first time in his career.
Chargers To Sign DT Sebastian Joseph-Day
Sebastian Joseph-Day is switching teams, but he won’t have to move all that far. The former Rams defensive tackle is signing with the Chargers, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
It’s a three-year deal worth $24MM, including $15MM in guaranteed money.
The 2018 sixth-round pick had spent his entire career with the Rams. After being inactive for every game during his rookie campaign, the defensive tackle established himself as a consistent starter between 2019 and 2021. The defensive tackle started 31 games during his sophomore and junior year, and he started another seven games in 2021. He missed the second half of the campaign while dealing with a torn pectoral, but he managed to return in time to play in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory.
In total, he finished last season with 38 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a career-high three sacks.
The Chargers are loading up on defense. The team has been one of the most active teams, adding Khalil Mack, J.C. Jackson, and Austin Johnson.
Chargers To Sign DL Austin Johnson
The Chargers have added another player to their defense. The team is signing defensive tackle Austin Johnson, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal worth up to $14MM, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter).
Johnson had a breakout season for the Giants in 2021, setting career-highs across the board. In 17 starts, the defensive tackle collected 72 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, and seven QB hits. Entering this season, Johnson had 54 tackles and 3.5 sacks in five seasons with the Titans and Giants.
A 2016 second-round pick, Johnson spent the first four seasons of his career with Tennessee. He joined the Giants organization in 2020.
The acquisitions of Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson will steal the headlines, but Johnson should find a role for himself on the Chargers defense. Justin Jones and Linval Joseph combined for 23 starts last season, but both players are hitting free agency. Even backup Christian Covington, who started three games in 2021, is a free agent.
Chargers To Sign CB J.C. Jackson
3:55pm: The Chargers will get their priority target. Jackson is signing with the Bolts, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This promises to be a monster deal for the young corner, who stands to help a Chargers defense that stumbled down the stretch. The Bolts have been aggressive entering Herbert’s third year, trading for Mack and agreeing to terms with one of the top free agents on the market.
Los Angeles authorized a five-year, $82.5MM contract for Jackson, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The ex-Patriot will see $40MM fully guaranteed, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The Bolts did not need to give Jackson top-five corner money, it turns out. This checks in as the NFL’s sixth-highest cornerback pact. To entice Jackson, the Chargers have agreed to give him $28MM in the deal’s first year, Rapoport adds (on Twitter).
3:32pm: As expected, J.C. Jackson has received widespread interest during the legal tampering period. The Chargers are among the Pro Bowl cornerback’s suitors, and NFL.com’s Mike Giardi tweets the team has made an offer.
The Patriots made a somewhat surprising decision not to use their franchise tag on Jackson, who has intercepted an NFL-most 25 passes since coming into the league in 2018. Months after trading Stephon Gilmore, the Pats could lose another standout cover man.
Previously reported to have interest in Jackson, the Bolts can be aggressive this offseason. They entered free agency in the top five in cap space and have Justin Herbert tied to a rookie contract through at least 2022. Los Angeles has already added a splashy defender, trading for Khalil Mack last week. With Jackson hitting the open market at 26, it will likely cost close to cornerback-record money to sign him. Jalen Ramsey still tops the corner market at $20MM per year.
At corner, the Chargers have Michael Davis and 2021 second-round pick Asante Samuel Jr. as key returners. Slot man Chris Harris is a free agent.
Chargers Re-Signing K Dustin Hopkins
The Chargers were apparently satisfied after Dustin Hopkins‘ mid-year try out last season. The Chargers have agreed to a brand new three-year extension with their kicker, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter).
The deal is worth $9MM overall with incentives that can increase his total compensation to $12MM. Meanwhile, he’s already got upwards of $4.6MM locked in and guaranteed.
Washington released Hopkins six games into the 2021 campaign, leading him to the Bolts. He went on to nail 18-of-20 field goal tries in Los Angeles and 3o out of 32 XP attempts. It’s worth noting that his only two missed FGs came from 50+ yards away. Between the Commanders and the Chargers, Hopkins went 30-of-34 last year.
The Chargers have had something of a revolving door at the position over the last five years. Now, they hope to have some stability with Hopkins, who will look to improve on his career 84.6% rate.
Contract Details: Williams, Kirksey, Conley, Landry
Rounding up a few contract details from recent deals:
- Mike Williams, WR (Chargers): Three-year, $60MM. The contract has $40MM guaranteed, including a $21MM signing bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. The third year of the contract, worth $17MM in not guaranteed for the 2024 season, when Williams will be due a $3MM roster bonus on the third day of the league year.
- Christian Kirksey, LB (Texans): Two-year, $10MM. The contract has a base value of $8MM with a $2MM signing bonus being part of the contract’s $4MM guaranteed amount, according to Wilson. Kirksey will earn approximately $58,823 per game as an active bonus for up to $1MM per year. The contract also holds annual incentives of $250,000 for each year of the contract.
- Chris Conley, WR (Texans): One-year, $2MM. The contract has a base salary of $1.5MM, $500,000 of which is guaranteed, along with a $250,000 signing bonus, according to Wilson. Conley’s contract also has a per game active bonus clause that can earn him up to $250,000 for the year as well as a $500,000 incentive that can be triggered off his 2022 catch and playing time totals.
- Harold Landry, OLB (Titans): Five-year, $87.5MM. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $52.5MM, composed of a $19MM signing bonus and the contract’s first three years of salary: $1.25MM for 2022, $15MM for 2023, and $17.25MM for 2024, according to Wilson. The 2024 amount is guaranteed for injury at signing, meaning that it won’t become guaranteed until the 5th day of the 2023 league year.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/11/22
The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Browns: RB D’Ernest Johnson
- Chiefs: CB Deandre Baker
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Chargers: TE Donald Parham
- Jaguars: DE Jamir Jones, LB Chapelle Russell, RB Mekhi Sargent
Non-tendered:
- Bengals: OLB Wyatt Ray
Bears, Chargers Finalizing Khalil Mack Trade
After four seasons in Chicago, Khalil Mack is headed back to California. The Bears and Chargers are nearing a trade for the All-Pro edge defender, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The sides have nearly completed this deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Chargers are set to send the Bears second- and sixth-round picks, Rapoport tweets, for the eight-year veteran. The Bears will receive the Chargers’ 2022 second-round pick and their 2023 sixth. This will reunite Mack and Brandon Staley, who coached the Bears’ outside linebackers from 2017-18.
No contract adjustment is coming, per Rapoport, who adds the Chargers will take on the remaining three years and $63.9MM on Mack’s pact (Twitter link). That contract will be more manageable for the Chargers, with no guarantees remaining on the deal.
Mack is coming off an abbreviated season, but the former Raiders top-five pick and NFL Defensive Player of the Year is still regarded as one of the best pass rushers in the game. Mack is set to team with Joey Bosa in Los Angeles. The Chargers rank in the top five in the NFL for cap space, giving them an easier path to absorbing Mack’s contract compared to most teams.
While this is a major move, it comes a year after the Raiders discussed reacquiring Mack from the Bears before the 2021 free agency period. Chicago passed but saw Mack go down with a foot injury midway through last season. Mack underwent surgery and missed nine games. Prior to last season, however, the three-time All-Pro had never missed more than two games in a season.
The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, Mack went to Chicago in 2018 for a monster haul. Chicago sent Oakland a package headlined by two first-round picks. The Bears gave Mack a then-defender-record $23.5MM-per-year contract. Three seasons remain on that deal. Mack is set to earn $12.1MM in base salary next season. The Bolts, however, now boast the most expensive pass-rushing duo in NFL history. They signed Bosa to a $27MM-AAV extension last year. This move likely will send previous Bosa sidekick Uchenna Nwosu elsewhere; Nwosu is set to hit free agency next week. This is a luxury many teams could not afford, but the Bolts have Justin Herbert tied to a rookie deal until at least 2023.
Mack, 31, played a major role in lifting the Bears to the 2018 NFC North title. He collected his third All-Pro honor that year. The Buffalo alum will head to Los Angeles with four double-digit sack seasons and six Pro Bowls on his resume. This represents another move for one of the highest-profile divisions in recent memory. The Broncos sent the Seahawks two firsts for Russell Wilson this week, giving them a much better shot to contend in the AFC West. The Bolts now have a top-tier edge tandem to throw at Wilson, Patrick Mahomes and Derek Carr.
The Bears still have Robert Quinn, who broke Richard Dent‘s franchise single-season sack record last season, under contract for 2022. But losing Mack is certainly a significant development for the franchise, which recently hired a new coach and GM. This move will douse the Bears in dead money as well, saving them only $6MM in cap space. Chicago will incur a $24MM dead-money charge, part of that coming because the team restructured Mack’s deal in 2019 and in 2021.
Chargers, Mike Williams Agree On New Deal
One of the top remaining franchise tag candidates has signed an big-money contract. The Chargers have inked Mike Williams to a three-year, $60MM deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). $40MM of the total is fully guaranteed. 
The Chargers had made it clear they were willing to tag Williams, though a long-term deal was always the preference. The 27-year-old played out last season on the fifth-year option, which earned him $15.7MM. Given his play during the campaign, it became clear a significant raise would be coming.
Williams posted 76 catches and 1,147 yards – both career highs. He also registered nine touchdowns, the second-highest total of his NFL tenure. Alongside Keenan Allen, he played a major role in the Chargers ranking second in the league in passing yards, while finishing top-five in scoring. This deal means that both Williams and Allen will next become free agents in 2025.
The $20MM per-year average is almost exactly what the franchise tag ($19.1MM) would’ve cost the Chargers in 2022 anyway, though Schefter notes that the first year of the deal includes $28MM. Unlike so many other teams, cap space was hardly an issue for Los Angeles; they entered the day with more than $56MM to work with for the upcoming season. This deal obviously takes a large bite out of that, but the medium-term pact should provide solid value for the team.
The main pieces to the Chargers’ passing attack will remain in place, something which is likely a necessity to compete in the AFC West. In a division already featuring Patrick Mahomes – and that just saw the arrival of Russell Wilson – points will need to be scored early and often to keep up.
Chargers To Pursue Big-Name CBs?
- With Justin Herbert tied to his rookie deal through at least 2022, the Chargers have an opportunity this offseason. They are a team to watch for a splashy cornerback addition, with Garafolo tweeting they could be in the mix for J.C. Jackson or Stephon Gilmore. The Patriots may actually be ready to let Jackson hit the market, and Rapoport notes (video link) Gilmore should be expected to test free agency after playing out his Patriots-constructed contract. The Panthers would still like to retain Gilmore, but it will be costly. Gilmore will turn 32 in September.