The Los Angeles Chargers‘ season may be over, but it isn never too soon to start thinking about the offseason and specifically, what additions can be made to bolster the squad.
With the firing of offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the Charger shave shown that wholesale changes could be coming in many departments, including within the squad itself. That’s why the Chargers could find themselves in the race for a huge O-line free agent.
What with everyone in the city of LA knowing that the Chargers O-line problems are real, the most likely answer to it being fixed could come through the free agent market. The center position especially could be a rather precarious position that the Chargers would like to upgrade as Bradley Bozeman did not live up to expectations.
According to Brett Kollman, with the cap space they have and the clear need for improvement in that area of the lineup, the Chargers should take a big swing at Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.
Why Tyler Linderbaum Makes Sense for the Chargers
Tyler Linderbaum was the Ravens’ first round draft choice out of Iowa in 2022, and has been named to several Pro Bowl and All-Pro squads as well. In fact, he has made the Pro Bowl in every year except one since entering the league. A huge plus is that he has experience blocking for a dual threat QB in Lamar Jackson. Whole Herbert isn’t known for his scrambling prowess, Linderbaum could open up that avenue in the offense.
The reason that so many fans could want a player of Linderbaum’s caliber is that he would be surplus to two already stellar bookend tackles. With Slater and Alt, the exterior O-line is the least of the Chargers’ worries. With the addition of Linderbaum, fans could feel that they have the interior player to bolster the production of those two tackles.
Cap Space, Connections, and the Cost of Greatness
Another thing the Chargers have going for them in the race for his signature is that Joe Hortiz, their current GM, worked with Baltimore for two seasons, and was part of the regime that selected Linderbaum in the draft. When the time comes, there may be no better person to pass judgment on Linderbaum for the Chargers than Joe Hortiz.
The Chargers have been known for being a modest team though when it comes to their spending. However, some of their biggest deals have come when cycling through O-lineman. While a deal for Mekhi Becton was only three years for 30 million dollars, the fact that Becton did not pan out makes it look much worse.
Linderbaum, because of his renown around the league, will command a high fee, somewhere in the region of 18 million dollars per year. The Chargers may be dissuaded by that number, but in a year when free agent O-line talent is at a premium and the Chargers have the most cap space in the NFL, chances are they may have to swing for the fences. And if they do, they may never regret it.
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