Chargers Hints Might Point to Underwhelming Trip to NFL Free Agency

Those hyped about the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of NFL free agency might want to pump the brakes a little bit.

Yes, Jim Harbaugh, Joe Hortiz and the Chargers boast droves of cap space before free agency. And yes, there’s a pervasive sense of urgency around the team to do better around Justin Herbert, especially after the arrival of hyped offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

But NFL free agency for the Chargers will follow what we can pretty much call the Joe Hortiz way at this point.

One can pretty much see that through the team’s actions already. But comments from Hortiz before the market opens sure don’t hurt, either.

Chargers’ free agency plan revealed?

The Chargers technically kicked off NFL free agency work by re-signing Teair Tart.

That sort of says it all.

The Chargers were smart to do so, too. No need to suffer a Poona Ford situation again. Lock in a key free agent, make sure they can’t hit the market and keep as much of the proven core as possible while complementing it through the draft.

Hortiz sure sounds ready to do that, as opposed to making a big splash outside signing.

"No. I don't want to spend recklessly," Hortiz said recently, according to ESPN’s Kris Rhim. "... If you chase perceived needs in free agency, in the draft and more often than not overpaying or making a mistake. So, we do have to be calculated. We have to be smarter."

Jim Harbaugh on Justin Herbert :“We did him a disservice. Didn’t put him in the position to be successful.”

GM Joe Hortiz brought up qbs who struggled in postseason, including Lamar Jackson and Peyton Manning: “They’re gonna roll me outta here before they roll him out of here.“ pic.twitter.com/fW00ttM0fA
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) January 15, 2025

Now, consider the list of key Chargers free agents when thinking about this “smarter” approach:

Khalil Mack
Odafe Oweh
Zion Johnson
Keenan Allen
Trey Lance

To varying degrees, those are really important starter and depth pieces the Chargers need to keep. Oweh, especially, could chunk down that $83 million or so in free cap space in a hurry.

The Chargers will add outside free agents. But the habit of seeing massive cap space and needs and suggesting blockbuster signings is pretty archaic when it comes to how Hortiz runs things.

And while that approach might underwhelm for fans hoping for an exciting offseason, it’s worked pretty well so far, right?

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