New Report Hints How Serious Chargers Were About Tyler Linderbaum, Tyler Biadasz

New reporting says the Chargers had major plans in free agency.

Tyler Biadasz | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Chargers didn’t make the big swing blockbuster move some onlookers seemed to expect from general manager Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh. 

Turns out a name like Tyler Linderbaum was on the table for the Chargers, though. 

While talking about Chargers training camp so far this offseason, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that the Chargers were, in fact, planning on a push to go get Linderbaum before Tyler Biadasz became an option. 

Graziano wrote: “The Chargers were planning an offseason push for free agent center Tyler Linderbaum, but they were excited to grab Biadasz when Washington cut him, getting a guy who fits what McDaniel needs without getting into a bidding war.”

So, before anything else, one critical takeaway: The Chargers were dead serious about upgrading the center spot in front of Justin Herbert after a few years of struggles from Bradley Bozeman. 

Chargers targeted Tyler Linderbaum, Tyler Biadasz signing analysis

Tyler Biadasz | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Linderbaum is one of the better outright players in football, never mind the best center. At just 26 years old, he signed a three-year deal worth $81 million with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. 

Biadasz, on the other hand, is 29 years old and only three years and $30 million for the franchise after his unexpected cut by Washington. 

Not that Biadasz is a slouch, though. He ranked 11th out of 40 centers graded at Pro Football Focus last year across 954 snaps, coughing up just three sacks and three penalties all season. 

There’s a far more important point here, too: Biadasz was the pick of Mike McDaniel. 

McDaniel is the new offensive coordinator installing his own scheme in the hopes of taking Justin Herbert to another level. He’s re-tooled or added to every single spot on the offensive depth chart except quarterback. If he wanted Biadasz for the team, fans should be pretty confident in the decision. 

And really, almost anything would have been an upgrade after years of Bozeman, who ranked 40th out of 40 on the same PFF grading list last year. 

That the Chargers got a little bit of a deal on the cash front by signing Biadasz before the free-agent market even opened and Linderbaum reset the position outright is just a little (cliche, sure) cherry on top. 

Maybe hindsight doesn't look good here if Biadasz struggles or something, sure. But the Chargers had at least eyeballed the Linderbaum situation. 

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