The 1 Chargers Free Agency Move That Spoils Cut Candidates This Summer

The Los Angeles Chargers have been pretty tight-lipped about the future despite the moves in NFL free agency so far.

Sure, some of the obvious stuff unfolded. The Chargers added a new starting center with Tyler Biadasz. One could argue that Cole Strange will fill one of the two starting guard spots.

But tight end Charlie Kolar might just be a blocker and little more. Fullback Alec Ingold will feature in certain packages. Running back Keaton Mitchell is a bit of a question mark in more ways than one.

There’s one roster move in free agency that flew under the radar and said quite a lot, though:

Denzel Perryman.

Denzel Perryman’s free agency deal puts Chargers project on hot seat

Denzel Perryman is back yet again for the Chargers, which is a welcome sight for fans and may not be all that shocking overall.

Turning 34 next December or not, Perryman played in another 10 games last year, recording 47 total tackles. More importantly, he’s still serving as the heart and soul of the defense from the middle of the linebacker unit.

And now Junior Colson is firmly on the hot seat. It’s maybe one of the bigger statements the Chargers have put out this entire free agency so far.

Here’s Daniel Popper of The Athletic on the topic, too:

“That leaves six, and the Chargers kept five on their 53-man roster most of last season. Colson missed the entire year after undergoing shoulder surgery. The 2024 third-round pick has not been able to stay healthy. The Perryman signing makes me think that this is a pretty big spring and summer for Colson.”

The Chargers would love nothing more than for Colson to pan out.

But it doesn’t feel like the Chargers will wait around all that much longer, either. Daiyan Henley is a star in the making, Troy Dye is a great backup, they just brought back Del’Shawn Phillips because he’s a special teams ace and Marlowe Wax certainly looked like a breakout last year.

That’s before, by the way, considering the Chargers bring on a rookie in some fashion, be it a draft pick or in undrafted free agency after the fact. That, or waiver wire claims as other teams trim rosters.

Colson was a really exciting prospect out of Michigan. A national champion with the obvious ties, too. But bringing back Perryman once again sort of paints a clear picture about the linebacker room.

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