Chargers To Exercise 2017 Option On D.J. Fluker
The Chargers are picking up their 2017 option on offensive lineman D.J. Fluker, a source tells Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link). The move, which was confirmed today by GM Tom Telesco (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune), extends Fluker’s rookie contract from four years to five, delaying his potential free agency until 2018.
[RELATED: 2017 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
After spending most of his first two years at right tackle, Fluker slid inside for the 2015 campaign, serving as the Chargers’ starting right guard for the majority of the season. Pro Football Focus wasn’t all that impressed with his play at the new position, however, ranking him 67th out of 81 qualified guards. His teammates, Kenny Wiggins and Orlando Franklin, placed 71st and 78th respectively.
Although Fluker perhaps hasn’t developed into the sort of dominant lineman the Chargers had hoped for, the 25-year-old has started 43 of 48 regular-season games for the team since entering the league, and figures to start again in 2016.
Because he was selected 11th overall in the 2013 draft, Fluker’s 2017 option salary is $8.821MM, $3MM+ less than it would have been if he had come off the board in the top 10. That salary also doesn’t become fully guaranteed until the first day of the 2017 league year. It’s guaranteed for injury only for now.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Chargers Meeting With Cardale Jones
- Goff and Wentz are two of several quarterbacks expected to be taken in the first round, but Ohio State’s Cardale Jones is one of the more interesting options that figures to be available on Day 2 or 3. As Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes, Jones has attracted the attention of both the Cardinals and the Chargers — each club will make the trek to Columbus to meet with the signal-caller. Arizona and its downfield passing attack, particularly, would mesh well with Jones’ skill-set.
Deforest Buckner Hearing From Chargers
- Deforest Buckner told Justin Hopkins of 247 Sports (Twitter link) that he is hearing from the Chargers, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Titans “pretty regularly.” The Chargers, Cowboys, and Jaguars all had previously reported workouts with Buckner, but the addition of the Titans is new.
Chargers Could Draft Jalen Ramsey Third Overall
The Browns are shopping the No. 2 pick, but if they aren’t able to move it, they could end up selecting Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil and then trading nine-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas, several general managers have told Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. If Tunsil to Cleveland happens, those GMs expect Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey to land with the Chargers at No. 3, North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz to become the newest member of the Cowboys at No. 4, and UCLA linebacker Myles Jack to go fifth to the Jaguars.
Chargers Draft Rumors: No. 3, Conklin, Vannett, Lewis
- The Chargers are generating plenty of interest in regards to the third overall selection, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). On the possibility of trading the pick, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said last month, “It’s certainly an option. We’ll just follow it through and see where it goes.”
- Michigan State offensive tackle and prospective first-rounder Jack Conklin has met with or worked out for the Titans, Bills, Chargers, Steelers, Falcons, Jets, Colts, Buccaneers and Lions, he told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
- Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett worked out for and/or visited the Panthers, Titans, Falcons, Patriots, Chargers, Packers and previously reported Jets, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- Bowling Green receiver Roger Lewis has visited with or worked out for the Bengals, Cowboys, Patriots, Seahawks, Vikings and Chargers, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Lewis is a potential third- or fourth-round pick, notes Caplan.
Emmanuel Ogbah Visiting Chargers
- The schedule for Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah includes a pre-draft visit with the Chargers this Wednesday, writes Aaron Wilson in a piece for the Chronicle. Wilson reported yesterday that Ogbah was also visiting Carolina and Atlanta this week, though he doesn’t include the Panthers in his list of Ogbah’s visits in his latest piece.
Chargers Met With Cody Kesler
- USC quarterback Cody Kessler has worked out for and/or visited the Chargers, Saints, Browns, and Lions, among others, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). At 6’1″ and 215 pounds, Kessler is slight, but he’s thrown for 88 touchdowns and just 19 interceptions during three seasons as the Trojans starter. Kessler is projected as a seventh-round pick or UDFA on CBSSports.com’s big board, but Rapoport hears that he could go a lot higher than is expected.
Jarran Reed Visiting Chargers
- At least three more teams are getting a first-hand look at Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Reed will visit the Jets on Monday, the Chargers on Tuesday, and the Texans on Wednesday.
Allen To Be Full-Go In Chargers Workouts
- Keenan Allen will be full-go when the Chargers open their offseason workouts Monday after missing eight games last season with a lacerated kidney, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The fourth-year player also plans to shed some weight coming into the season, hoping to move down to around 200 pounds.
San Diego Mayor Voices Issues To Team About Stadium Plan
- The Broncos have also yet to make a decision regarding Sylvester Williams‘ fifth-year option and have until May 2 to do so. “No, I haven’t heard anything about it — still waiting,” the fourth-year defensive tackle told Renck. “Either way this will be my best year yet!” Given the starting nose job after Denver elected not to retain Terrance Knighton, Williams played better in 2015 than he did in ’14, grading out as a middle-of-the-pack performer, according to Pro Football Focus. It would cost the Broncos $6.7MM to pick up Williams’ option, and as of now, no pure 3-4 nose is set to earn close to that amount in 2017. Brandon Mebane‘s $4.5MM salary with the Chargers is the highest at this spot currently on a team’s 2017 projected books. Williams will turn 28 this season, but significant cap relief stands to come the Broncos’ way after this season — no team has more projected space than Denver’s $80MM+ in 2017 — so the team could probably manage Williams’ option should it choose to exercise it now.
- San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer wrote a letter to the Chargers asking some difficult questions centering around the team’s downtown stadium proposal, Dan McSwain of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Faulconer told the newspaper he sent the letter, on which the Chargers declined to comment, after meeting with members of the hotel industry. One of the centerpieces to the Chargers’ stadium proposal involves a hotel tax hike. Much of the mayor’s queries also involved the design of the stadium/convention center project, McSwain reports.