Chargers Should Sign Fun Former Second-Round Draft Pick With McDaniel Connections

Now that the NFL's free agency period has gone from starter-hunting to the point where teams are looking for backup options to help fill their roster, the Chargers should look into fun bargain-bin signings that can add competition in areas where it is needed most.

One of those areas is the sixth receiver/return man spot. Derius Davis, a former fourth-round selection of the Chargers, has been banged up for multiple years in a row now, not looking close to his rookie-season self. With multiple years of injuries, competition must be brought in.

It is important to note that the Chargers currently have Keaton Mitchell on the roster as an extra option in the return role as well. But this should not stop the Chargers from furthering competition by adding to their team.

Chargers Have Easy Connections to Sign Dee Eskridge To Add Competition

Dee Eskridge was drafted in 2021 as a fun gadget-like wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks. Though his career has not panned out like he or the Seahawks were hoping for with his early-round selection, Eskridge has become an NFL-caliber return man who can help add a little extra help in the receiving game.

In Seattle, fans described the eventual cutting of the selection as an "end of an error" due to the selection being a reach from the start. This is not Eskridge's fault, as many viewed him as a player who should have gone later and had fewer expectations. A major part of this reach is due to his 40-yard dash time.

Eskridge's 4.4 40-yard dash allows for intriguing speed, enough so that after his cutting from the Seahawks in 2023, allowed for him to be signed to the Miami Dolphins, where Mike McDaniel valued players with immense play speed.

McDaniel is now with the Chargers as their offensive coordinator, having an obvious connection to Eskridge and his skill set. In 2024 and 2025, when Eskridge found Miami home, he was able to collect seven catches for 106 yards as well as 33 returns for 872 yards, an average of 26.4.

Quinn Ewers bomb to Dee Eskridge 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/sruXpRDjlK
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) October 19, 2025

These numbers are nowhere close to eye-popping, but they are at least enough to warrant a contract to have the former second-round pick have a chance for a roster spot in Los Angeles.