Chargers Throw Blunt Comments on Contract Talks With Former 1st-Rounder

The Chargers aren't being shy about what's going on with this free agent.

Zion Johnson | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Quietly, one of the bigger question marks around the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason is what the franchise might do with free agent offensive lineman Zion Johnson. 

Johnson, the team’s first-round pick in 2020, is on his way to the open market. For Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz, he’s part of the three-man interior line that struggled so much last year. 

Whether Johnson is part of the future with the Chargers is almost impossible to say. Even the arrival of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel didn’t change that outlook much.

In fact, Hortiz was very, very careful while talking about this subject during interviews at the NFL Combine this week.

Zion Johnson’s Chargers future addressed by team

Good luck guessing the market value on Johnson. 

A place like Spotrac has him projected at roughly $11 million per season over three years on his next deal. But he’s actively been flirting with the “bust” label, so his market is tough to gauge. 

As for the Chargers, Hortiz and the front office certainly have a number in mind. 

"Yeah, we have a range. Not just Zion, but every player, we tag a guy with a range," Hortiz said, according to Eric Smith of Chargers.com. "There's an evaluation and that's what we do. Is it a hard ceiling? No. I don't think you ever place a hard ceiling on a player."

Zion Johnson | William Navarro-Imagn Images

Beyond generally saying the Chargers won’t use a franchise tag, Hortiz covered all hs bases with his answers: 

"But you have to pay what you think a player is worth. Or somewhere near that. We'll see what happens with Zion, where the market goes, if he gets to the market. We'll stay engaged with him through the process."

The Chargers certainly have the cap space. But do they have the desire to bring Johnson back?

Center Bradley Bozman just retired. Mekhi Becton is the top cut candidate on the roster. One could argue they won’t want to overhaul all three interior spots in a single offseason, but with a new coordinator coming in anyway, who knows?

Much will come down to how Johnson fits the new scheme and just how quickly his market develops. If the Chargers spend big on a free agent and a high draft pick on the other two spots, they might value continuity, especially if they think better surroundings could help him develop as a player. 

While not as high profile as Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh, buzz around Johnson is a huge ordeal for the Chargers right now, too.

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