Chargers’ TE situation just got so much worse thanks to Jets

The Los Angeles Chargers really needed to upgrade the tight end position this offseason for Justin Herbert’s offense.

Incredibly, so far in free agency, they’ve done nothing but make it worse.

First, it was losing a bidding war for a top free agent to the Denver Broncos, of all teams. And now it’s losing tight end Stone Smartt to the New York Jets. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport pointed out, Smartt was a restricted free agent the Chargers simply chose not to tender this offseason.

And just like that, most semblance of upside flew out the window for the tight end depth chart in Los Angeles.

Smartt probably wasn’t going to go and develop into the No. 1 tight end for the Chargers next season by any means. But he came on strong late last season with a string of solid games while playing in place of others and his upside, at least, seemed worth keeping on the team.

Rather than retain Smartt, the Chargers tendered fellow tight end Tucker Fisk instead. The position remains a major problem area heading into the third wave of free agency and as early as Round 1 of the draft.

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