Los Angeles Chargers Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Chargers’ Jahleel Addae Signs Tender

March 24th, 2016 at 4:45pm CST by Zachary Links

MARCH 24: Addae has officially signed his tender, as Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. Addae is slated to start at safety opposite of Dwight Lowery in 2016.

MARCH 9: The Chargers have applied the second-round tender to safety Jahleel Addae, Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports tweets. The tender would pay Addae $2.553MM in 2016.

Addae went from an undrafted free agent to a starter with the Chargers. Safeties are always in high demand, so the Bolts took an extra step to insure that they would not lose the 26-year-old. In 13 games last season (12 starts), Addae totaled 64 tackles, 1 sack, 4 pass deflections, and 1 fumble recovery.

Chargers To Host Two Prospects

March 23rd, 2016 at 7:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mississippi State tight end Darrion Hutcherson will visit the Chargers, per Wilson. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Hutcherson played in 26 games for the Bulldogs, logging just six starts.
The Chargers are also set to meet with former Buffalo tackle John Kling, Wilson tweets. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Bulls lineman played right and left tackle in his five years at the university.

Chargers Talking To Teams About No. 3 Pick

March 22nd, 2016 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Chargers GM Tom Telesco confirmed on Tuesday that multiple teams have approached San Diego about acquiring the No. 3 overall pick. Telesco isn’t sure if anything will come of those discussions, but says he’s all ears, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune details. “They usually ask if I’m interested, and I say, ‘Yes,'” Telesco said. “I’ve had multiple teams ask. That’s where it starts. … It’s certainly an option. We’ll just follow it through and see where it goes.”

Chargers May Consider Free Agent Centers

March 22nd, 2016 at 12:27am CST by Luke Adams

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco says that he views Chris Watt as the team’s starting center, but he will not rule out making a move to improve at the position, ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams writes. Although Telesco didn’t mention them by name, it sounds possible that the Bolts could consider free agent centers Stefen Wisniewski or Manny Ramirez. As of this writing, the Chargers have less than $14MM in cap space for 2016, per ESPN and OverTheCap.com.

Clemson CB Mackensie Alexander Met With Chargers

March 17th, 2016 at 8:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander has already met with the Jets, Titans, Saints, Colts, Steelers, Lions, and Chargers, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Chargers, Chris Hairston Agree To Deal

March 16th, 2016 at 12:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers have agreed to bring back free agent offensive lineman Chris Hairston, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune, who reports that the two sides have struck a new two-year deal.

Hairston, who turns 27 in April, was one of the few San Diego offensive linemen who didn’t miss time due to injuries during the 2015 season, despite getting pretty banged up over the course of the year. Originally expected to be the team’s swing tackle, Hairston ultimately played nearly 800 offensive snaps for the Chargers, seeing playing time at guard and tackle on both the left and right sides of the line.

Pro Football Focus, which grouped Hairston with the offensive tackles, ranked him 65th out of 77 qualified players at the position. Despite his unspectacular grades as a run- and pass-blocker, Hairston should be a valuable depth piece for the Chargers in 2016, given his versatility, though he’ll likely enter camp as a backup once again.

Hairston is the second offensive tackle to re-sign with the Chargers this month — starting tackle Joe Barksdale inked a new four-year contract with the club. The team has also re-signed backup quarterback Kellen Clemens and veteran tight end Antonio Gates, and added wide receiver Travis Benjamin to the offense.

On the other side of the ball, the Chargers have signed defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, safety Dwight Lowery, and cornerback Casey Hayward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Contract Details: Weddle, Sensabaugh, Hayward

March 15th, 2016 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are several of the latest contract details on recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the NFL. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless other indicated.

AFC:

Eric Weddle, S (Ravens): Four years, $26MM. $13MM guaranteed ($9MM fully guaranteed). $7MM signing bonus. $1MM roster bonus due on April 4. $4MM base salary guaranteed for injury at signing; becomes fully guaranteed if on the roster on the fifth day of the 2017 league year. $1MM annual Pro Bowl incentives from 2017 to 2019 (Twitter links).
Casey Hayward, CB (Chargers): Three years, $15.3MM. $6.8MM guaranteed. $2.5MM signing bonus. $3.3MM roster bonus due on March 18. $1MM roster bonuses due on third day of 2017, 2018 league years (Twitter links).
Chris Hogan, WR (Patriots): Three years, $12MM. $7.5MM guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus paid on March 14. $500K in annual per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
Mackenzy Bernadeau, OL (Jaguars): Two years, $3MM. $250K signing bonus. $250K option bonus to be exercised 22 days before first day of 2017 league year (Twitter links).

NFC:

Coty Sensabaugh, CB (Rams): Three years, up to $19MM. $6.5MM guaranteed. $3.5MM roster bonus due on March 18. $1MM roster bonus due third day of 2017 league year (becomes fully guaranteed this Friday). $1.5MM annually incentives for playing time, fumble recoveries, interceptions, and playoffs (all Twitter links).
J’Marcus Webb, G/T (Seahawks): Two years, $6MM. $2.45MM guaranteed. $1.2MM signing bonus. $500K in annual per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
Zach Miller, TE (Bears): Two years, $5.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus. $500K roster bonus due on March 18. $500K in annual per-game roster bonuses. Up to $1MM in annual incentives for playing time, catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns (Twitter links).
Chris Conte, S (Buccaneers): One year, $3MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus due on March 17. Up to $1MM in incentives for playing time, stats, and playoffs (Twitter link).
Josh Robinson, CB (Buccaneers): One year, $2MM. $500K roster bonus due on March 18 (Twitter link).
Sealver Siliga, DT (Seahawks): One year, $1.05MM. $200K signing bonus. $50K Week 1 active roster bonus. Up to $350K in incentives (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
Bradley Sowell, T (Seahawks): One year, $1MM. $200K signing bonus. Up to $500K in playing-time incentives (Twitter link).
Dan Orlovsky, QB (Lions): One year, minimum salary benefit. $160K guaranteed. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
Red Bryant, DL (Cardinals): One year, minimum salary benefit. $55K Week 1 roster bonus. $25K workout bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).

Tyron Smith, King Dunlap Restructure Contracts

March 14th, 2016 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of veteran offensive tackles have restructured their contracts, creating some cap room for their respective clubs. Todd Archer of ESPN.com has the details on Tyron Smith‘s reworked deal with the Cowboys, while Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports on King Dunlap‘s new-look contract with the Chargers.

As Archer explains, Smith’s contract change is a simple restructure, with the Cowboys converting $9MM of his $10MM base salary for 2016 into a signing bonus. Rather than counting solely against this year’s cap, that $9MM bonus will now be prorated over five seasons, counting for $1.8MM annually from 2016 to 2020. That means Dallas will free up $7.2MM in cap space for the ’16 season, while adding $1.8MM to the cap each year from 2017 to 2020.

Dunlap, meanwhile, was set to have his $4.5MM salary for 2016 fully guaranteed last week. Before that happened, according to Gehlken, the Chargers lowered his salary to $3.3MM, which is now guaranteed. The veteran tackle, who missed much of the 2015 season due to injury problems, can earn back that missing $1.2MM if he’s able to stay healthy for most of the 2016 campaign.

According to Gehlken, Dunlap will earn a $400K bonus if he plays 50% of San Diego’s offensive snaps in 2016. He’ll earn another $400K if he reaches the 65% threshold, and a final $400K if he makes it to 80%.

The move creates $1.2MM in cap savings for the Chargers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chargers, Casey Hayward Agree To Deal

March 13th, 2016 at 3:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

3:45pm: Hayward will receive $6.8MM in guaranteed money, reports Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Jounal-Sentinel (Twitter link).

2:53pm: The Chargers have agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Casey Hayward, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). Hayward will sign a three-year, $15.3MM deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The 26-year-old Hayward had spent the entirety of his four-year career with the Packers, but 2015 was his first season a full-time starter. Hayward started 11 games, playing 87% of Green Bay’s defensive snaps, and while he didn’t post any interceptions, he did defense six passes, and graded as the league’s No. 16 corner according to Pro Football Focus.

In San Diego, Hayward will join an impressive group of corners that includes Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett, and while Hayward has shown that he can play on the outside, he’ll likely line up in the slot — where’s he proven to be one the NFL’s truly elite defenders — with the Chargers. The signing of Hayward could be an indication that San Diego is bracing to lose fellow corner Patrick Robinson, who is also an unrestricted free agent, and seems unlikely to return to the Chargers as what would now be their fourth corner.

The Chargers have been relatively active during the free agent period — in the secondary alone, the club also added former Colts safety Dwight Lowery in addition to Hayward. San Diego got stronger on its defensive line with the addition of Brandon Mebane, and on the offensive side of the ball, re-signed veteran tight end Antonio Gates and brought in former Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin.

Green Bay, meanwhile, will rely on Sam Shields, Damarious Randall, and Quinten Rollins to headline their group of corners for the foreseeable future. The Packers have a history of re-signing their own internal free agents, so it’s a little surprising that they weren’t able to reach an agreement with Hayward, who was not only drafted and developed by Green Bay, but signed for a very reasonable annual value of $5.1MM.

Hayward ranked as PFR’s No. 29 overall free agent, and the No. 4 corner on the market. The options listed ahead of Hayward — Janoris Jenkins, Sean Smith, and Prince Amukamara — have all reached new agreements, leaving Brandon Boykin, Leon Hall, and the aforementioned Robinson as the best remaining cornerbacks available.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Kaepernick, Ware, Dunlap, Irvin

March 12th, 2016 at 9:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colin Kaepernick should call the 49ers‘ bluff and rescind his trade request, opines Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Kaepernick’s $11.9MM base salary becomes fully guaranteed on April 1 — the Browns reportedly are willing to send a third-round pick to San Francisco in exchange for Kaepernick, but only if the quarterback agrees to lower his salary. The 49ers don’t want to pay that total, either, so Florio argues that if Kaepernick drops his request to be dealt, he forces the Niners to either guarantee him almost $12MM or release him, allowing Kaepernick to choose his next destination.

Here’s more the NFL’s two West divisions…

We learned earlier today that as part of his restructure, Broncos linebacker DeMarcus Ware can earn back all the money he agreed to cut through sack-based incentives. Per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com, Ware can earn between $1.25MM and $3.5MM when he hits eight, nine, 11, and 13 sacks. It’s a smart structure by Denver — because Ware posted 7.5 sacks in 2015, every penny of those incentives will be labeled “not likely to be earned,” meaning the club won’t have to carry any portion of that total on its 2016 cap.
Chargers left tackle King Dunlaps‘s 2016 base salary of $4.5MM became fully guaranteed today, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune notes (Twitter link). Dunlap, entering the second year of a four-year deal, will count for roughly $6.34MM on San Diego’s cap next year.
Former Seahawks linebackers coach — and current Raiders defensive coordinator — Ken Norton Jr. played a large role in luring Bruce Irvin to Oakland, as Irvin explains to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “I wanted to get back with him,” Irvin said of Norton Jr. “Like I said before, that guy, he’s done a lot for me, not only on the field, but off the field. He saved my career by bringing me from defensive end to a linebacker, so I have the utmost respect for that guy.”
In a separate column, Florio reports that agents are advising their clients not to sign contracts with the Rams that seem to be bound by Missouri laws. The issue, per Florio, is that California, where the Rams will play next season, has much more pro-labor workers’ rights laws, thus the club would rather the deals be controlled by Missouri language.

Los Angeles Chargers News & Rumors