Chargers To Pick Up Justin Herbert’s Fifth-Year Option
Day 2 of the NFL draft is about to begin, but the Chargers have made a noteworthy (if entirely unsurprising) decision with the central figure already on their roster. Los Angeles will pick up quarterback Justin Herbert‘s fifth-year option, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Doing so will lock him in to a cap hit of just over $29.5MM in 2024. 
The news comes on a busy week of QB developments, including the Jets’ long-awaited trade acquisition of Aaron Rodgers being agreed upon and Lamar Jackson‘s Ravens extension materializing. Herbert’s 2020 draft classmate, Joe Burrow, also had his option picked up by the Bengals. The Chargers are taking the same path with their franchise signal-caller, as attention is sure to turn on the possibility of a long-term extension soon following.
Herbert, 25, is eligible for a second contract, and his market may have seen two benchmarks established recently. The deals signed by Jalen Hurts with the Eagles and by Jackson (worth $51MM and $52MM per season, respectively) will no doubt be used during negotiations for both Herbert and Burrow. The former has one Pro Bowl nod on his resume, along with a first career postseason appearance in 2022.
The Oregon product earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020, but has been maligned for the team’s lack of sustained success during his tenure. Herbert has nevertheless done enough to convince the Chargers to commit to him for the 2024 campaign, as they prepare to presumably take contract negotiations to a new level in the near future.
The Chargers have made it clear they have started talks with Herbert on what will be a monster deal. He may not land a contract with the AAV of Jackson, Hurts and (quite possibly, Burrow), but he should still be well-positioned to spend the foreseeable future in Los Angeles. At a minimum, he will be in place for the next two years as he and the team look to build off their success from last year.
Chargers Choose Quentin Johnston At No. 21
The run on receivers has started. After no wideouts were selected through the first 19 picks, we’ve now got our second WR pick in a row. The Chargers are using pick No. 21 on TCU WR Quentin Johnston. 
While Johnston is technically the 21st pick, he will actually receive the contract of the 22nd pick as a result of Miami’s forfeited selection. The Dolphins lost the true No. 21 pick following an investigation into their pursuit of Tom Brady and Sean Payton. If Johnston can live up to his potential, he will be in line for multiple deals after his rookie contract expires.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder flashed plenty of potential in three seasons with the Horned Frogs, and took a considerable step forward in production last season. Johnston made 60 catches for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns, helping lead the team to the national title game. His 17.8 yards per catch average came not from his skillset being built on vertical speed as much as it was on run-after-catch ability. His prowess in that regard is especially intriguing given his size.
Drops were an issue, however, which led to a variance in Johnston’s draft stock. The fact that he has become WR2 in the 2023 class shows the Chargers, at a minimum, are comfortable with banking on his upside. Johnston should have a notable role both in the short- and long-term in upon arrival in Los Angeles.
Keenan Allen came up in trade talk earlier this offseason. Although the team remains adamant that the five-time Pro Bowler will not be on the move, an addition to the Chargers’ pass-catching corps comes as no surprise. Johnston will provide a speed element to complement that of Mike Williams, and give new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore an expanded array of options to work with in the passing game. Johnston’s upside is among the highest in the class, so his development over time will be a factor worth monitoring, especially when weighed against the other top WRs selected around him.
Draft Rumors: Commanders, Chargers, Giants, Bengals, Bears
It’s the eve of the 2023 NFL Draft, and connections are being made left and right. Every team has hosted several prospects and done their fair share of homework. Here’s a few things we’re hearing in the hours leading up to the draft:
- The Commanders can go in a lot of directions at the exact midpoint of the first round. They’ve been connected to offensive tackle and cornerback prospects in most situations. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, though, Washington’s executive vice president of football/player personnel Marty Hurney is a big advocate for Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. The team has committed to last year’s fifth-round pick Sam Howell as their starting quarterback for 2023, as well as bringing in Jacoby Brissett as an experienced backup. Drafting Richardson would likely be a sit-and-learn situation while either Howell or Brissett man the starting spot under center.
- The Chargers have been rumored to be looking ahead in this year’s draft towards next year’s needs, according to Breer. Even though wide receiver is clearly not a need with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer, Williams may end up as a cap casualty after this season with a pending $32.46MM cap hit in 2024. This could lead to Los Angeles getting ahead of that hole and drafting a wideout in the first round this year. Breer hears the team really likes Boston College receiver Zay Flowers.
- Another team who could possibly be looking to cover a future contract situation, the Giants are reportedly fairly high on Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs, according to Breer. With contract negotiations with veteran Saquon Barkley being reported as tenuous, it’s hard to imagine general manager Joe Schoen further stirring the pot with another first-round running back. It would provide the team with a backup option if negotiations with Barkley turn sour, though.
- The Bengals ranked 29th in 2022 for team sacks and are reportedly looking for more pass rushing help on the interior defensive line, according to Breer. At the end of the first round, there’s only so many options. Georgia’s Jalen Carter surely won’t still be around at No. 28 overall. Clemson’s Bryan Bresee has some strong tools but is expected to need to improve his pass rushing arsenal. Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey is the only real answer here. With 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss over the last two years, the diminutive tackle projects as a discount Aaron Donald. If Kancey isn’t available or not what the Bengals are looking for, they could trade back or just wait for someone like Auburn’s Colby Wooden in the third or fourth round.
- Lastly, the Bears have been frequently tied to offensive line prospect Peter Skoronski out of Northwestern. It’s unclear whether they like Skoronski as an improvement at tackle or a new starter on the inside, but if he’s available by the time the tenth pick rolls around, it’s hard to imagine Chicago passing up the nearby offensive lineman.
Chargers Bring Back WR Jalen Guyton
Jalen Guyton‘s September ACL tear cost him most of the season, and it led to the Chargers nontendering him as a restricted free agent last month. But the deep threat remains in the Bolts’ plans.
The Chargers and Guyton reunited Monday; the fifth-year wide receiver signed a new deal with the team ahead of the Bolts beginning their offseason workouts. After a month as an unrestricted free agent, the 6-foot-1 wideout will return to work for the franchise that has employed him since 2019.
[RELATED: Chargers Re-Sign TE Donald Parham]
While Josh Palmer ascended to what has become a vital WR3 role for the Bolts last season, Guyton served as a key auxiliary Justin Herbert target in each of their two full slates working together. Guyton’s 2020 and 2021 yardage totals (511, 448) were third among Chargers wideouts in those seasons, with the latter total surpassing Palmer’s in his rookie year. Guyton and Palmer, who has two years left on his rookie contract, will attempt to fill in alongside Keenan Allen and Mike Williams once again.
The Chargers initially picked up Guyton, a Cowboys post-draft signee, as a practice squad addition in October 2019. He is perhaps best known for being on the receiving end of a 2021 Herbert laser that traveled more than 60 yards in the air. Guyton, 25, recovering from his ACL injury would certainly bolster the Bolts’ depth. The North Texas product caught three touchdown passes in 2020 and ’21, and the Chargers missed his deep-threat capabilities at points last season.
Thus far, the Bolts are running it back at receiver. Tom Telesco shot down the notion Allen could be traded to create cap space. The team has its Allen-Williams-Palmer-Guyton quartet back in the fold, but after both the veteran targets missed extensive time last season, an early-round wideout draft choice is on the radar. Such an addition could complicate Palmer and Guyton’s roles. For now, the two will be back as the team’s top supporting-cast wideouts.
Utah TE Dalton Kincaid Cleared Before Draft
This year’s draft class is extremely deep at the tight end position, and one of the top prospects faced the additional challenge of a recent injury. Despite a back injury suffered late in the season, Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid has officially been cleared for football activity prior to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. 
Dr. Robert Watkins sent an email to NFL teams fully clearing the 23-year-old. “Dalton Kincaid sustained a back injury while playing football on 11/26/2022,” the email said. “Subsequent MRIs have shown appropriate healing, and he has been asymptomatic with no pain and no limitation of function for at least 3 months. He is cleared to play football with no restrictions.”
The injury caused him to miss the Senior Bowl and NFL scouting combine, and a shoulder injury forced him to miss time earlier in the year, as well. The injury issues don’t help concerns about his smaller frame for an NFL tight end. Yet, Kincaid is still a stellar pass-catching option who caught at least eight touchdowns in four of five college seasons (the fifth being the COVID-shortened season).
The full clearance is big for Kincaid, who is expected to be selected in the first round later this month. He and Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer are widely anticipated to go on Day 1, while Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and Georgia’s Darnell Washington have a chance, as well. With such a deep class, a nagging back injury could’ve really hurt Kincaid’s draft stock; a full clearance should keep Kincaid with his status as a consensus top two tight end in the draft.
With injury concerns out of the way, Kincaid has had several visits planned with NFL teams. The Ute met with the Bengals and Patriots this past week and has plans to visit the Packers in the week to come. Prior to those visits, Kincaid had spent time with the Texans, Raiders, Chargers, Jaguars, Titans, Lions, Chiefs, and Cowboys.
NFL Coaching Updates: Chargers, Bucs, Colts
The Chargers announced that they had officially finalized their coaching staff for the 2023 season this week. Los Angeles had a semi-busy offseason after changing both coordinators but, ultimately, kept most of the same support staff around the new coaches. We’ve noted a number of their offseason changes already on this site, but a few in this week’s announcement were new.
The Chargers used the announcement to officially announce the hiring of new offensive assistant Phil Serchia. For the last three years, Serchia has served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas.
Serchia is likely taking the spot of former offensive assistant Mike Hiestand. Hiestand will be changing sides of the ball to serve on defense as the team’s front seven specialist. Also taking a role change is former defensive assistant John Timu. Timu has been promoted to the position of assistant defensive line coach for the 2023 season.
Here are a few other coaching updates from around the league:
- The Buccaneers have added an experienced veteran to their coaching staff in a minor role, according to team senior writer/editor Scott Smith. David Raih has been brought on to serve in the role of offensive analyst. Raih has had stints as a wide receivers coach for the Packers and Cardinals but most recently served as offensive coordinator at Vanderbilt in 2021.
- The Colts made their one and only change to their defensive staff last week, hiring Payton McCollum to the role of defensive assistant, according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports. McCollum only has offensive experience on his resume, serving as an offensive analyst at Eastern Michigan and quarterbacks coach at the University of Washington in recent years. His only NFL experience dates back to 2017 when McCollum spent two seasons as an offensive assistant with the Lions.
AFC West Notes: JuJu, Chargers, Broncos
After two years of low-level deals in free agency, J.J. Smith-Schuster finally cashed in via his Patriots pact. The seventh-year wide receiver signed a three-year, $25.5MM deal that came with $16MM fully guaranteed. The Pats guaranteed Smith-Schuster exactly what the Raiders locked in for Jakobi Meyers, and they will expect upper-echelon performance. Smith-Schuster, 26, increased his market through his 78-reception, 933-yard Chiefs season, becoming the Super Bowl champions’ top Tyreek Hill replacement. Smith-Schuster wanted to stay in Kansas City, and the Chiefs aimed to keep him. While Andy Reid confirmed the sides discussed a deal all the way up to the Patriots agreement, the Chiefs are going with lower-cost options at receiver presently.
“You’ve got to manage all the cap stuff. We couldn’t give him what they gave him,” Reid said, via the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, of matching the Patriots’ offer. “We talked all the way through it. It’s good for him; he deserves that opportunity.”
The Chiefs have been connected to both Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins, but the OBJ path is now closed after the Ravens handed the injury-prone receiver a surprising $15MM guaranteed. Kansas City is planning bigger roles for Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, and the team has Marquez Valdes-Scantling attached to what is now a pay-as-you-go contract. Valdes-Scantling’s deal runs through 2024. Here is the latest from the rest of the AFC West:
- While the Chiefs may be looking to add a piece at receiver in the draft, the Chargers appear ready to add an early-round target. The Bolts are believed to be looking for pass-catching help early in the draft, Jordan Reid of ESPN.com notes. Holding the No. 21 overall pick, the Chargers are coming off a season in which Keenan Allen and Mike Williams both missed extended stretches. While Tom Telesco pushed back against an Allen trade, the Pro Bowler is going into his age-31 season. The Chargers still roster Josh Palmer as a WR3, while DeAndre Carter signed with the Raiders. The Bolts, who have deep threat Jalen Guyton coming off an ACL tear, are seeking perimeter speed, per Reid, who adds Jordan Addison could be a name to watch. Chargers wideouts coach Chris Beatty recruited Addison while at Pitt.
- The Broncos appear to have four locked-in starters on their offensive line, having signed Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers to go with left tackle Garett Bolles and guard Quinn Meinerz. Center Lloyd Cushenberry has struggled during his Denver tenure and is going into a contract year after an injury-plagued 2022. The Broncos are doing work on centers ahead of this draft, Reid adds. The team holds the Nos. 67 and 68 overall picks. Beyond top center John Michael Schmitz, ESPN’s Scouts Inc. views second- and third-ranked centers Olusegun Oluwatimi (Michigan) and Luke Wypler (Ohio State) as third-round-caliber snappers.
- One of the Broncos’ stopgap O-line solutions last year, Billy Turner, is not expected back with the team. Turner, whom the Broncos used at right tackle in 2022, told the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson he is not in the team’s 2023 plans (Twitter link). Turner, 31, has enjoyed two Denver stints but followed Nathaniel Hackett over from Green Bay last year. The nine-year veteran said he is 100% after knee trouble limited him last season.
- Broncos cornerback Faion Hicks was arrested earlier this month for carrying a concealed firearm, Mike Klis of 9News notes. This is a third-degree felony charge; the arrest occurred in Hallandale, Florida. Hicks is free on bond. The Broncos drafted Hicks in the 2022 seventh round; he saw action in only two games and did not play a defensive snap.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/6/23
Thursday’s minor moves:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: OL Will Clapp
New York Giants
- Signed: OL J.C. Hassenauer
Both teams have added depth with starting experience on their offensive lines. Clapp spent the 2022 season with Los Angeles after a four-year stint with the Saints. The 27-year-old filled in at center when Corey Linsley was sidelined, logging three starts and appearing in every game in the regular season. He has experience at guard as well, giving the Chargers versatility along with familiarity.
Hassenauer, 27, began his career with the Falcons but has only ever seen game action with the Steelers. In three years in Pittsburgh, the Alabama product totaled seven starts and 45 games played. It comes as no surprise that he is headed to New York, since the Giants hosted him for a workout last month. Hassenauer will give the team much-needed depth in the middle after starter Jon Feliciano departed in free agency.
Latest On Chargers, Austin Ekeler
The beginning of the new league year was flooded with moves in free agency, but one of the most notable storylines to emerge was Austin Ekeler‘s trade request. The Chargers running back has one year remaining on his contract, and even though he has been given permission to find a trade partner, he realizes a seventh season with his only NFL team to date remains a distinct possibility.
“When it comes down to what’s going on with the whole trade and all that stuff, really, look, we’re trying to find a long-term partner,” the 27-year-old said while appearing on Sirius XM’s Fantasy Sports Radio. “That’s what we want. We want someone who wants to sign us for a few years and sees us not just in the immediate future, but a couple years out” (h/t NFL.com’s Nick Shook). 
Ekeler is due to make $6.25MM in 2023, the final year of a $24.5MM extension which ranks him far lower in the RB pecking order than his production would merit. The former UDFA has led the NFL in total touchdowns each of the past two campaigns, eclipsing 1,500 scrimmage yards in three of the past four years. A long-term deal coupled with a sizeable raise – rather than discontent with the Chargers – was the reason Ekeler gave for asking to be dealt this offseason.
As he explained in his latest public comments on the subject, contract talks he had last year with Los Angeles fell well short of producing a new deal. He mentioned that he felt he “kind of got punched in the face” in 2022’s negotiations, adding that no tangible progress was made after this past season, one in which he set new career-highs in both rushing (915) and receiving (722) yards.
“It was around the combine that a lot of these talks start[ed] happening,” Ekeler said. “Basically, we just could not even get close to… it wasn’t even much of a negotiation. It was just kind of a, more so ‘hey, this is what we’re thinking, this is what they’re thinking,’ and it was just OK, we are not on the same page, let’s just end this because I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
This offseason has seen several modest deals given to free agent backs, the latest sign in the decline in value at the position. That, coupled with his age, could make it challenging for Ekeler to find a suitor willing to commit to a lucrative deal. Indeed, it was reported last month that a strong market was not expected to emerge for him. As attention starts to turn to the draft, Ekeler reiterated his willingness to remain with the Chargers at least one more year as he eyes a new pact.
“Look, I guess the worst-case scenario right now out of all of it, I’ll come back and I’ll have to play for the Chargers for a year and bet on myself and then be a free agent next year.”
The Chargers currently have just under $15MM in cap space, and would clear all but $1.5MM of Ekeler’s $7.75MM cap hit with a trade. The team has a number of other financial priorities, including a monster deal for Justin Herbert. In the absence of progress on the extension or trade fronts, though, Ekeler could find himself suiting up in familiar territory next season.
WR Jordan Addison To Visit Vikings, Ravens, Giants, Patriots, Chargers
The 2023 draft offers a number of high-end receivers available in the first round, one of whom is Jordan Addison. The former Pitt and USC product is continuing a busy schedule of visits with interested teams. 
That process will include meetings with the Vikings, Ravens, Giants and Patriots, as detailed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Each of those sit-downs will constitute one of the 30 allotted to all teams for out-of-town prospects. Wilson adds, however, that Addison also has a local visit scheduled with the Chargers.
Addison flashed plenty of potential in his first season at Pitt, totaling 666 yards on 60 catches. The following year, he and quarterback Kenny Pickett put together a massively productive campaign, one which saw Addison establish himself as one of the top wideouts in the country. In 2021, he finished second in the ACC with 100 receptions, leading the conference in yards (1,593) and touchdowns (17).
Those totals earned him All-American honors and the Biletnikoff Award, along with substantial expectations upon his transfer to USC. In his lone season with the Trojans, the 6-0, 170-pounder recorded 59 catches for 875 and eight touchdowns. While those totals came up well short of his production the year before, they helped cement his status as one of the most effective receivers in the 2023 class, particularly with respect to route running and catch radius.
Of the teams listed, the Vikings, with Justin Jefferson and the Chargers, with Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, already have established high-end wideouts. The latter (who has been listed as an NFL comp for Addison) emerged in trade rumors this offseason, though, and could be a candidate to be replaced in the near future. New England inked JuJu Smith-Schuster as a Jakobi Meyers replacement in free agency, but their pass-catching corps is likely to receive further additions in the coming weeks, including the draft.
Both the Giants and Ravens have been connected to WR moves beyond the relatively minor ones they have already made this offseason. That could, of course, include using Day 1 draft capital at the position as both teams look to take a step forward in the passing game. While Addison’s size and college experience points to him primarily operating in the slot, he represents one of the top options available around the middle of the opening round for any team eyeing an offensive boost.