Chargers Cap Space Outlook Won't Impact Franchise Tag on Top Free Agent

The Chargers could use a franchise tag before free agency. But buzz suggests that's not in the works.

Odafe Oweh | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Don’t expect the Los Angeles Chargers to throw out a franchise tag this offseason.

Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz probably isn’t opposed to the idea, especially while sitting on more than $80 million in free cap space, too. 

Plus, the Chargers certainly have some big-name free agents they need to keep: 

• Khalil Mack
• Odafe Oweh

Yet, all signs point to the Chargers and Hortiz not bothering with a franchise tag at all. 

Take this recent accounting from the NFL combine from Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame: 

“Playing 50% of the snaps in Los Angeles, Oweh figures to be a top priority for the Chargers, considering they don’t have many other impact free agents. Despite that reality, paired with gobs of money available to him, Hortiz isn’t expected to tag Oweh or another player in the coming days.”

One has to wonder, though, if things could change on this topic soon if the Chargers can’t get a long-term deal with Oweh ironed out. 

Chargers franchise tag outlook before free agency

Joe Hortiz | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Realistically, Oweh is the only actual tag candidate for the Chargers. Mack will consider retirement again, just like last offseason. But if they get the sense he wants to go join another team in free agency, they probably won’t pay the tag price on a guy who has played roughly 60 percent of the snaps in each of his last two seasons.

Oweh is a totally different topic. 

The Chargers traded for Oweh, the former first-rounder, in the middle of last season. He dropped 7.5 sacks in 12 games and is an obvious building block alongside fellow younger breakout Tuli Tuipulotu. 

Losing Oweh to another team would be a disaster, and not just because the Chargers spent resources to trade for him in the first place. 

Oweh getting away would mean edge rusher is again a massive problem they would either need to fix early in the draft or with a big-money free agent. And it would mean a loss of continuity for a defense that is trying to keep things as similar as possible for new coordinator  Chris O’Leary. 

In some cases, teams use the franchise tag to extend the long-term extension talks into the summer. That could still end up being the case for the Chargers with Oweh if they don’t get a deal done before the free-agent market opens. 

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