NFL Undrafted Free Agency Sees Chargers Throw Massive Cash After Ignoring Draft Need

The Los Angeles Chargers surprised some onlookers by not really addressing the linebacker position over the course of seven rounds, multiple trades and eight picks in the NFL draft.

Apparently, the Chargers always had their sights on undrafted free agency.

Granted, nobody will fault Jim Harbaugh, Joe Hortiz, and the Chargers for appearing to finally get really serious about the offensive line in front of Justin Herbert. They used four of their eight selections on the line while getting some athletes on the depth chart who better mesh with what the new offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniel, requires in the trenches.

Still, linebacker went unaddressed…at least until the Chargers front office opened up the checkbook in undrafted free agency.

Chargers give top UDFA massive signing bonus

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the Chargers didn’t just sign Utah linebacker Lander Barton.

No, they gave Barton a $17,000 signing bonus and, on top of that, guarantees in the contract mean he’s getting $264,500 total guaranteed on the deal.

Normally, it’s a little eyebrow-raising to see a team dish out something in the $50,000 range for an undrafted free agent.

Speaks to how badly the Chargers wanted Barton, though.

The Utah product was the 279th-ranked player on the Pro Football Focus big board after a 61.7 PFF grade last season across 637 snaps.

Still, Barton, a team captain, projects as a backup at the next level in the minds of experts like NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

Zierlein actually threw out something interesting about versastilkity, too: “Barton’s handful of snaps and targets as a tight end might create some H-back roster flexibility to go with his linebacker label.”

But the Chargers need traditional linebackers in a bad way. Denzel Perryman is quietly back on another one-year deal but older. Daiyan Henley is the depth chart leader, but they have yet to get anything of merit from Junior Colson.

The Chargers do have a quality backup with Troy Dye and Del'Shawn Phillips is an excellent presence on special teams. But adding some serious developmental competition for a success story like Marlowe Wax, an undrafted free agent himself, isn’t a bad idea.

Barton is part of the Chargers' announced 18-player undrafted free-agency class. It's a big number that will actually require the team to make further roster moves to be compliant with league rules.

Until then, fans can expect to see Barton, the latest undrafted free-agent linebacker addition, at spring work soon.

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