Free Agency is upon us. Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) Can began to negotiate with other teams beginning Monday, March 12th. They can't sign with those teams until the new league year began Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 4pm est. The day free agency begins.
Restricted Free Agents (RFA) restricted free agent is any player with an expiring contract who has exactly three accrued NFL seasons. An accrued season is defined as a player being on a team for at least six regular season games, although practice squad designation doesn’t count. The reserve physically unable to perform (PUP) list for non-football injuries also doesn’t count as an accrued season.
Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) Unlike a unrestricted free agent who can either re-sign with their current team or test the open market and go elsewhere, restricted free agents are tied down unless a team allows them to become an unrestricted free agent.
Teams have four different tender options they can place on their restricted free agent that usually keeps those players from leaving.
- First-round tender: Free agent can negotiate with other teams, but original team has option to match any deal and will receive a first-round selection if it opts not to match the deal.
- Second-round tender: Free agent can negotiate with other teams, but original team has option to match any deal and will receive a second-round selection if it opts not to match the deal.
- Original-round tender: Free agent can negotiate with other teams, but original team has option to match any deal and will receive a selection equal to the round the player was originally selected in if it opts not to match the deal.
- Right of first refusal: Free agent can negotiate with other teams, but original team has option to match any deal. The team will not receive any compensation if it opts not to match another deal.
The Chargers are 20th in cap space. This will change as deals, trades take effect March 14th. The Chargers have $22,248,223 in Cap Space. It takes $6.4 million to sign your draft picks. The Chargers will have to release some players and restructure others to generate more space this year.
Players free to negotiate with other teams Monday March 12th.
CHARGERS CAP SPACE $ 22 Million
UFA
1. TE Antonio Gates
2. G Matt Slauson
3. ILB Korey Toomer
4. G Chris Hairston
5. OLB Jeremiah Attaochu
6. QB Kelly Clemens
7. S Tre Boston
8. K Nick Novak
9. G Kenny Wiggins
10. RB Brandon Oliver
11. TE Jeff Cumberland
12. RT Michael Schofield
13. T Michael Ola
14. DT Tenny Palepoi
RFA
1. WR Isaiah Burse
2. TE Asante Cleveland
3. WR Geremy Davis
4. LB Nick Dzunbar
5. TE Sean McGrath
6. DE Chris McCain
7. RB Adrian Phillip
8. WR Tyrell Williams
Melvin Gordon will have his 5th year option later in the offseason so they will option him and they can not allow Casey Hayward to enter into the last year of his contract. He will be extended and get a big pay day!
The team says they would like to bring back Matt Slauson and move him to guard with Feeney at center. Odds to stay: Very likely
Antonio Gates is a problem. Hunter Henry is primed and ready. Gates can't block and has slowed down to the point it's difficult for him to separate from defenders. His last deal was March 9, 2016 2 years $11 million. He won't see anything like that now. They talked to his agent Tom Condon at the combine to see if an agreement can be reached. Odds to stay: 50-50
Tre Boston bet on himself and won. His contract of 1 year $900,000 is now with fair market value averaging him to be a $ 8 million dollar a year player. He hired his agent Drew Rosenhaus couple weeks ago a very good sign he wants a massive payday and that won't be from the Chargers. Odds to stay: Poor
They will keep S Adrian Phillips, WR Tyrell Williams and WR Geremy Davis I think will be back.They will try to keep Kenny Wiggins for depth. Brandon Oliver will not be back on the Chargers.
Once the Chargers resign their own players and draft picks their will not be a lot left. Look for them to release and restructure contracts to generate more cap space. It's unlikely you'll see any big name FA get signed.
Props to Corey Luiget who had the shooting in his home state of Florida on Feb 14th. He went to Parkland to visit with the kids at Stoneman Douglas High School. He created a scholarship called the Aaron Feis Scholarship Fund in honor of the fallen football coach that put himself in front of the shooter saving many of the kids lives. He died as a result. Luiget donated $10,000 to the fund and is commended for standing up and taking action to a population that sorely needed it.
LIVE BROADCAST OF THE DAVE & JEFF PODCAST...On April 8, 2018 5pm Cali Comfort BBQ 8910 Troy St San Diego, Ca 91977 come join me in watching Dave Palet and Jeff Dotseth 1st live remote podcast.
TP BONFIRE..On May 5 from 4pm to 10pm I'm throwing a get together Bonfire at Fiesta Island at 4pm. Bring some food for the BBQ and plastic cups for the drinks. I did this back in 2014 and it was an amazing good time.
COMBINE RUMORS
I talk to quite a few people who were at the Combine in Indy. I make notes and if 2 or 3 people tell me the same thing I know there something to it. Here what I learned.
The Chargers are interested in taking a QB. But not the Darnold, Rosen, Allen or Mayfield. Most of their most serious talks have involved Mason Rudolph, Kyle Lauletta, and Riley Ferguson. Ferguson has been working out with Rivers here in Socal. He also met with the team scouts at the combine. I try and not read to much into that. They also did meet with Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield twice, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Rosen. Their interests seem to be developing a QB in the middle rounds of the 2018 draft around rd 3 and 4.
They also met with LB Rasheen Evans from Alabama projection Rd 1 and Malik Jefferson out of Univ of Texas projections Rd 1 or 3. They also met with K Florida Eddie Pinero. Eddie came away from the meeting saying the scouts told him they will be drafting a kicker. All the kickers in this draft are projections of Rd 6 or undrafted. Pinero made 94.4% of his field goals in 2017. Othet meetings included RB Akrum Wadley Iowa, G Will Hernandez Utah and G Ucla Scott Quessenberry.
Tre Boston a free agent and can start testing the market Monday. Adrian Phillips and Joseph Addae is the current safety. Telesco drafted a safety 2 times as the GM of the Chargers. Late if the draft he selected Desmond King and Rayshawn Jenkins. They could move King to safety as replacement if what is likely that Tre Boston leaves in free agency.
Boston market value is 8 million annually. He could receive 10-11 million by hitting up the market in free agency. With so many other needs the Chargers should avoid getting in a bidding war over Boston. The mocks of Derwin James to Chargers is laughable. He is a great player but Telesco doesn't value safety that much. If the Chargers select a safety it won't be until Rd 4 or later unless a trade happens.
My next point. On Tuesday the Chargers will be letting people who are interested in the Premium $75,000 PSL and Club $50,000 to view the projected seats and renderings. The FightForLA has the Rams making moves and bringing in talent while the Chargers are silent. Telesco is handcuffed by what he can do but as we discussed today on Sports on Tap on WLBZMedia.com. One way to make noise and fill a need is a trade with Seattle.
The Chargers trade DB Jason Verrett and a 4th rounder in 2018 to the Seahawks for S Earl Thomas.
The media says he available. Thomas signed a 4 year 40 million dollar deal in 2014. He in the final year of his contract. Should the Seahawks John Schneider decide he isn't worth the investment in a 28 year old safety they can and likely will move him. Seattle has a pick Rd 1 Pick 18 but then no picks until the 4th round. Seattle wants a RD 1 and mid round 3-4th rounder for him. I'd offer Verrett and a 4th. If they believe Verrett can stay healthy maybe they consider it. If they know Verrett history they would hang up on me. With 22 million in cap space the Chargers may have to do more than cuts and restructure to make themselves better in 2018.
I talk to quite a few people who were at the Combine in Indy. I make notes and if 2 or 3 people tell me the same thing I know there something to it. Here what I learned.
The Chargers are interested in taking a QB. But not the Darnold, Rosen, Allen or Mayfield. Most of their most serious talks have involved Mason Rudolph, Kyle Lauletta, and Riley Ferguson. Ferguson has been working out with Rivers here in Socal. He also met with the team scouts at the combine. I try and not read to much into that. They also did meet with Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield twice, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Rosen. Their interests seem to be developing a QB in the middle rounds of the 2018 draft around rd 3 and 4.
They also met with LB Rasheen Evans from Alabama projection Rd 1 and Malik Jefferson out of Univ of Texas projections Rd 1 or 3. They also met with K Florida Eddie Pinero. Eddie came away from the meeting saying the scouts told him they will be drafting a kicker. All the kickers in this draft are projections of Rd 6 or undrafted. Pinero made 94.4% of his field goals in 2017. Othet meetings included RB Akrum Wadley Iowa, G Will Hernandez Utah and G Ucla Scott Quessenberry.
Tre Boston a free agent and can start testing the market Monday. Adrian Phillips and Joseph Addae is the current safety. Telesco drafted a safety 2 times as the GM of the Chargers. Late if the draft he selected Desmond King and Rayshawn Jenkins. They could move King to safety as replacement if what is likely that Tre Boston leaves in free agency.
Boston market value is 8 million annually. He could receive 10-11 million by hitting up the market in free agency. With so many other needs the Chargers should avoid getting in a bidding war over Boston. The mocks of Derwin James to Chargers is laughable. He is a great player but Telesco doesn't value safety that much. If the Chargers select a safety it won't be until Rd 4 or later unless a trade happens.
My next point. On Tuesday the Chargers will be letting people who are interested in the Premium $75,000 PSL and Club $50,000 to view the projected seats and renderings. The FightForLA has the Rams making moves and bringing in talent while the Chargers are silent. Telesco is handcuffed by what he can do but as we discussed today on Sports on Tap on WLBZMedia.com. One way to make noise and fill a need is a trade with Seattle.
The Chargers trade DB Jason Verrett and a 4th rounder in 2018 to the Seahawks for S Earl Thomas.
The media says he available. Thomas signed a 4 year 40 million dollar deal in 2014. He in the final year of his contract. Should the Seahawks John Schneider decide he isn't worth the investment in a 28 year old safety they can and likely will move him. Seattle has a pick Rd 1 Pick 18 but then no picks until the 4th round. Seattle wants a RD 1 and mid round 3-4th rounder for him. I'd offer Verrett and a 4th. If they believe Verrett can stay healthy maybe they consider it. If they know Verrett history they would hang up on me. With 22 million in cap space the Chargers may have to do more than cuts and restructure to make themselves better in 2018.
My prediction is the Chargers do next to nothing this offseason. Last offseason Telesco brought in 3 free agents. Okung (big name) and 2 other FA. I expect them to stand pat and hope the draft does their way. They have 7 picks. Needs are DT, QB, RB2 to help Ekeler and Gordon, T, K, and a TE if Gates is not brought back.
I needed add center as a need cause the word is Matt Slauson may re sign with the team and the oline would be Okung, Lamp, Feeney, Slauson and Barksdale.
DT Star Lotulelei might become available and S Tyrann Mathieu. Both if they go to free agency would be looking at around $ 11-13 million a year. Star has been horrible vs the run in Carolina. He ranks 75th out of 127 at DT. He dead last in NFL vs the run. But he did play in 75 of 76 games.
S Honey Badger loves it in Arizona but he refused a pay cut. He has a 5 million dollar roster bonus due March 16th. The Jets are also interested in him. A bidding war the Chargers can't afford.
So we enter the free agency period opening bell at 4pmest Wednesday, March 14th. The Chiefs have cleared up about 30 million in cap space by moves that take effect on wednesday. If the last couple of days are any sign of the future you better fasten your seatbelt. This is going to be a hell of a ride. Even if the Chargers do stay pat.
Thanks for reading and feel free to share below.
You should clarify that when you say free agency period opening bell at 1pm Wednesday, March 14th you mean that on West Coast time. East Coast time is 4 pm which is where the NFL offices are located and they always go off of EST.
ReplyDeleteVery good point. Thank you and it's 1pm pst 4pm est
ReplyDelete