Free Shipping Agency Reset, Day 2: 24 Quiet Hours Prepare the Waiting Game for Four Veterans

Welcome to Wednesday's edition of the Los Angeles Chargers' free agency reset.

We'll have one of these recaps waiting for you every morning this week, where we'll dive into all the relevant news surrounding the Chargers as teams around the league retool their rosters.

We will evaluate the moves made by the Chargers. We'll evaluate the moves the Chargers didn't make. We will disassemble the cap case. We will have an ongoing list of the top 10 remaining free agents, which will be geared directly to the Chargers' needs and financial situation.

The new league year officially begins on Wednesday at 1 PM PT. Not all signings and deals will become official until this deadline passes.

After a somewhat active start to the negotiating window, calm prevailed on Tuesday. Therefore, we will skip the usual section on the moves they made in this edition.

Live updates: Free agent news from around the NFL
Track FIFA: New teams and contract details for the top 150 free agents
Best available players: Who is still in the market?
grades: The best and worst free agent deals

Moves that the Chargers did not make

The Chargers had one in-house free agent agree to terms elsewhere on Tuesday: tight end Gerald Everett, who will sign with the Chicago Bears, according to The athleteJeff Howe. The duration of the deal is two years and $12 million, of which $6.1 million is fully guaranteed, according to Howe.

TE Gerald Everett's two-year deal with the Bears is worth $12 million, including $6.1 million fully guaranteed, and is worth up to $14 million with incentives, per source. @TheAthleticNFL

– Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 12, 2024

This is very similar to the deal Everett signed with the Chargers in the 2022 offseason. That was for two years and $12.25 million with $8 million guaranteed, according to Over the Cap.

Everett was never a good fit for the new charging system under Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers will feature the running game, and to do that, they need tight ends who can thrive as run blockers and at the point of attack. That was the motivation behind agreeing to terms with former Seattle Seahawks tight end Will Dissly on Tuesday.

Everett showed flashes of ability at that point, but it's not the strength of his game. He does not lack physical fitness. He lacks consistency as a run blocker. He is best served in the role which plays into his athleticism and ability to run after the catch.

The fit makes sense in Chicago. The Bears already have a tight end in Cole Kimmitt. Everett won't be asked to be the true first baseman, taking on a big role in the blocking.

Everett set career highs in receptions (58) and receiving yards (555) in 2022. However, his production diminished in 2023, as he finished with 411 receiving yards on 51 catches.

When the Chargers signed Everett in 2022, they believed he had untapped potential in post-catch situations. In many ways, this part of the vision has been achieved. Everett ranked eighth among tight ends in yards after the catch over the past two seasons, according to TruMedia. He had the best two YAC seasons of his career with the Chargers. He was a ferocious runner with the ball in his hands. He has shown great toughness while playing through several injuries. I think he closed the deal well.

It was the pieces around him in the narrow room that never came into view. The Chargers drafted Tre' McKitty in the third round in 2021, and the idea was to pair McKitty as a run blocker with Everett as a pass catcher. McKitty is not developed as a run blocker. Everett was then placed in a role that did not fit his skill set. Meanwhile, Everett has shown he can be that type of all-around tight end in certain moments. He was unable to sustain this performance on a blitz basis.

Cover case

The waiting game continues regarding the Chargers' four big-time contracts: Khalil Mack ($38.517 million cap hit in 2024, according to Over the Cap); Joey Bosa ($36.611 million); Keenan Allen ($34.717 million) and Mike Williams ($32.46 million).

The deadline is approaching. The Chargers must be in compliance with the cap by the start of the new league year on Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT. We have the official 2024 cap hit for safety Alohi Gilman ($3.375 million) and running back Gus Edwards ($2.25 million), according to Over the Cap. Numbers haven't been released yet for Dissly, so we'll continue to expect a $3.5 million cap hit for 2024.

The Chargers won't be able to process those trades until they clear the necessary cap space. As it stands, to become compliant and fit those three contracts into its cap sheet, the Chargers would have to clear $28.68 million in space. They will have to address at least two of the four big contracts to free up the necessary space between extensions, releases or trades.

In an ideal world for the Chargers, they could get a return on one or even two of these veteran players through a trade. However, their leverage in negotiations is minimal. Any team that wants these players could wait out the Chargers and then go after them once they hit the open market — perhaps at a lower price.

It's hard to see a way the Chargers can keep Mike Williams' salary on the roster. (Christopher Hanwinkel/USA Today)

The risk is that the Chargers will hold onto the player the inquiring team wants. Another potential benefit of trading is not having to compete with other teams for players. But as we saw with former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon, when opposing teams know a player is going to be traded, the value of the trade decreases. The Houston Texans acquired Mixon for a conditional seventh-round pick. It's a slightly different situation, as the Bengals' plans to release Mixon leaked publicly before he was traded. But opposing teams are keenly aware of the Chargers' cap situation. This makes navigating the commercial market somewhat difficult.

Maximum savings per player on a potential trade or release, according to Over the Cap:

Bossa: $14.39 million
Mac: $23.25 million
Allen: $23.1 million
Williams: 20 million dollars

As mentioned, the savings that would have to fit in with the three signings on the cap sheet is a projected $28.68 million. Taking into account draft class compensation, the projected amount is $36.64 million. Taking into account the seasonal budget, it is expected to exceed $40 million.

Moves are coming. It's not a matter of if but when.

Top 10 remaining free agents

1. Brian Allen, C, Los Angeles Rams

The Rams' starting center in the Super Bowl in 2021. He lost his starting job in 2023, but is still an experienced option who could come at a discount due to his backup role last season.

2. Arthur Mollet, playmaker, Baltimore Ravens

He played well in the slot for the Ravens last season. Minter will run a variation of the scheme Maulet played last season under former Ravens DC Mike Macdonald. Bringing a veteran with his fluency into the scheme would be valuable. Right now, Jasir Taylor is in line to start at the position.

3. Nick Gates, C, Washington Commanders

He made 29 career starts and played nearly 2,000 snaps at the position during his five-year career. Washington cut it, so it won't count in the corporate selection formula.

4. Evan Brown, C, Seattle Seahawks

He started 17 games for Seattle last season: 16 in the middle and one on the left side. He also played 700 snaps at right guard for the Detroit Lions in 2022.

5. Mason Cole, C, Pittsburgh Steelers

He was cut by the Steelers in February, so he won't factor into the comp draft formula. He has more than 4,300 career snaps at the position. Better run blocker than pass protector throughout his career.

6. Will Clapp, C, Los Angeles Chargers

He started 11 games last season in place of Linsley. A pass protector is better than a run blocker, so it may not be a perfect fit. But it will be consistent in the price range of chargers.

7. Sam Mustipher, C, Baltimore Ravens

A backup linebacker for the Ravens last season, but he started two positions at center in Weeks 2 and 3 when kicker Tyler Linderbaum was out with an ankle injury. well played. Crows connection.

8. Connor McGovern, C, New York Jets

Nearly 5,000 career snaps at the position. He started 79 games from 2018-2022 for the Jets and Broncos. Rotation role last season, making seven appearances.

9. Jordan Lewis, quarterback, Dallas Cowboys

He played for Harbaugh at Michigan for two seasons in 2015-16. Great aperture experience.

10. Brent Urban, DL, Baltimore Ravens

The veteran interior defensive lineman was drafted by the Ravens in 2014. He played there for four seasons and returns in 2022-23.

(Top photo by Joey Bosa: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)