Daniel Popper listed the 41 available free agents that may be of interest (their age in parentheses). Here are the olinemen:
LT Alejandro Villanueva, Steelers (32)
The Chargers went down the over-30-tackle path last offseason when they signed Bryan Bulaga. Year 1 of that marriage did not go well. Bulaga played less than 40 percent of offensive snaps in 2020. So I would be surprised if the Chargers took another chance on an older tackle opposite Bulaga, who will be on the roster next season. Still, Villanueva is a younger 32. He did not enter the league until he was 26. He has only played six NFL seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and 2018 and has been very durable. Villanueva has played at least 97 percent of snaps in all five of his seasons as a full-time starter. Worth a look, for sure.
LT Cam Robinson, Jaguars (25)
Robinson should have a solid market as a 25-year-old starting left tackle. But I do not see him as much of an upgrade over Sam Tevi, who should be much cheaper. I would pass.
LT Trent Williams, 49ers (32)
Williams was one of the best left tackles in football last year after joining the 49ers via trade from Washington. I think he will re-sign with San Francisco. If not, the Chargers should inquire.
OT Jermaine Eluemunor, Patriots (26)
Eluemunor started eight games last season for New England, playing both left and right tackle. He missed some time with an ankle injury but was solid in pass protection. He can also play guard.
RT Taylor Moton, Panthers (26)
Moton was among the best right tackles in the NFL last season. Bulaga will be starting at right tackle for the Chargers next season, so Moton would have to move to the left side. He has only played 105 snaps at left tackle in his career, so this might not make the most sense.
RT Daryl Williams, Bills (28)
Like Moton, Wiliams has mostly been a right tackle in his career. But he played all over the line in his final season with the Panthers in 2019, spending time at left tackle and right tackle, as well as at both guard spots. He is coming off a really good season as the Bills’ starting right tackle and should have a solid market.
RG Brandon Scherff, Washington (29)
Scherff, who played on the franchise tag this season, has been one of the best guards in the league for quite some time. Washington should re-sign him. If not, he should be on the Chargers’ radar — though he will command a massive contract and could be out of their price range.
LG Joe Thuney, Patriots (28)
Thuney and Scherff are on similar arcs. They both played last season on the franchise tag. Scherff is an elite guard. Thuney is one rung below him but is still a very good player. He will likely re-sign with New England.
G/T Matt Feiler, Steelers (28)
Feiler played both tackle and guard during his five seasons with Pittsburgh. He started 10 games at right tackle in 2018, then all 16 games at right tackle in 2019. He then moved to left guard for 2020. He has been solid at both spots. GM Tom Telesco has talked about adding more talent up front. Feiler is a bona fide NFL player who could provide the Chargers with versatility.
G Larry Warford, N/A (29)
Warford was cut by the Saints in the summer and then opted out of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns. But he spent three seasons in New Orleans with new Chargers OC Joe Lombardi from 2017-19. That connection is important. And Warford was a quality player with the Saints.
RG Jon Feliciano, Bills (28)
The Chargers could be looking for two starting guards this offseason, if they decide to cut right guard Trai Turner, a move that would save them $11.5 million in space with no dead money charge. Turner and left guard Forrest Lamp, who is a pending free agent, were both below-replacement-level players in 2020. If the Chargers can just find serviceable, average players at those two spots, they will have made considerable upgrades. A number of players on this list fit that mold. That includes Feliciano, who started 33 games for the Bills in 2019 and 2020. Some others…
G/T Germain Ifedi, Bears (26)
Ifedi has played both right tackle and right guard in his career, including last season for the Bears. He has mostly been a middling player and would not qualify as a splash signing. But he had the best season of his career last year, according to Pro Football Focus.
G/T Denzelle Good, Raiders (29)
Good played both right tackle and left guard for the Raiders last season. His versatility is noteworthy. QB Derek Carr called Good the “MVP” of the Raiders in early November.
LG Chris Reed, Panthers (28)
Reed got his first chance as a starter last season, starting 14 games at left guard for the Panthers. He did not miss a snap after taking over the job in Week 3.
RG John Miller, Panthers (27)
Miller started opposite Reed for Carolina. He has started 74 games in his career, all at right guard. He is more consistent in pass protection.
G Oday Aboushi, Lions (29)
Aboushi has played for five teams in his career, including the past two seasons with the Lions. He started games at left and right guard last year but spent most of his time on the right side, where he made seven of his eight starts.
LG Ike Boettger, Bills (26)
Boettger, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa in 2018, made the first seven NFL starts last season for Buffalo after Cody Ford went down with an injury. He does not have a ton of experience but showed some promise over the final half of the season.
LG Mike Iupati, Seahawks (33)
A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Iupati has put together a really good career. But he has dealt with injuries in recent seasons and only played in 47 percent of Seattle’s snaps last season. I would stay away.
RG Alex Redmond, Bengals (26)
Redmond lost his starting job during the season when Cincinnati claimed Quinton Spain off waivers from the Bills. So that is not exactly encouraging. But PFF graded him significantly higher than both Turner and Lamp. The Chargers do not need a Pro Bowl-level guard to get better. Again, they would benefit from simply adding replacement-level talent. At worst, Redmond could provide depth.
LG Kelechi Osemele, Chiefs (31)
Osemele tore tendons in both his knees and missed most of 2020. But he was playing well for the Chiefs early in the year. The injury is a concern, though. I do not think the Chargers will consider him.
C Ethan Pocic, Seahawks (25)
I think the Chargers will re-sign Dan Feeney, who started all 16 games at center for the Chargers last season. That was Feeney’s first consistent playing time at the position, and the Chargers hope he will develop more consistency as he gets more playing time at center. Personally, I think they should, at the very minimum, be looking for competition at center via the draft and free agency. Pocic is young. He started 14 games at center for Seattle last season, allowing two sacks and 18 total pressures, according to PFF.
C Corey Linsley, Packers (29)
I would be shocked if Green Bay lets Linsley walk, similar to how I feel about Scherff and Thuney. Linsley was one of best centers in football last year. Maybe the best.
C David Andrews, Patriots (28)
Andrews won two Super Bowls as Tom Brady’s starting center. If he hits the open market, which is unlikely, the Chargers should be very interested.
C Austin Blythe, Rams (28)
Blythe has played center and both guard spots during his four seasons with the Rams, so he could fit in a number of places with the Chargers. But he is probably returning to their crosstown rival.
C Alex Mack, Falcons (35)
Mack was one of the better centers in the league for a decade. He made six Pro Bowls and was named second-team All-Pro three times from 2010-20. Mack is older. But the Chargers had success when they pounced on Mike Pouncey, an aging player, in 2017. Mack was also born in Los Angeles and attended high school in Santa Barbara.
C Ted Karras, Dolphins (27)
After spending his first four seasons with the Patriots, Karras signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins last offseason and was solid in 16 starts. But the Miami Herald recently reported that Miami is looking to re-sign Karras. So he will likely be off the table.
C Austin Reiter, Chiefs (29)
Reiter took over as the Chiefs’ full-time starting center in 2019 and won a Super Bowl that season. He started 12 regular-season games for Kansas City in 2020 and all three playoff games, including Sunday’s Super Bowl. He has been a very consistent pass-blocker, which would be a crucial upgrade for the Chargers.
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