Bleacher Brothers L.A. Chargers reporter Adam Kerr
The first day of the legal tampering period has come and gone in 2025 Free Agency. Teams traded assets for picks, others splurged with the surplus of cap room they had. Teams like the Patriots and the Panthers had a lot of money and spent it on great players. One team that had a lot of cap room was the Los Angeles Chargers. Coming off of a great year under a new regime, the Bolts were poised to spend big and upgrade their biggest weaknesses in the 2025 offseason. Players like Davante Adams and DK Metcalf have been mocked to Los Angeles for weeks. Now, most of those top-tier free agents are off the board and the Chargers came away with nearly nothing. Here is the outline of what happened on a quiet day in Los Angeles – in what was a big day in most other NFL cities.
Re-Signed EDGE Khalil Mack to a one-year, $18M Contract
Retaining Khalil Mack was one of the top priorities among most covering the Chargers. Luckily, they got a deal with Mack done around two hours before the legal tampering period began. The future Hall of Famer has been a Pro Bowler in every season he’s been in Los Angeles, and the Bolts couldn’t afford to lose him and Joey Bosa. Getting to the actual deal, it seems like Mack plans on going from Hollywood to Canton with this contract. Mack would’ve gotten multiple years from other needy teams, but opted to stay in Los Angeles for what looks like one last ride. This makes the other moves they made even more disappointing. Khalil Mack has been in the NFL 12 years and has built a surefire Hall of Fame resume. The only thing he is missing is a playoff win. If the Chargers don’t get Mack a win in the postseason before he rides into the sunset, they would be doing a disservice to an all-time great.
Signed CB Donte Jackson to a two-year, $13M Contract
The first external signing of the day for the Chargers came with former Steelers corner Donte Jackson signing a two-year deal with LA. This came with mixed reviews among many, with Jackson having some trouble tackling after catches were made. However, he allowed a 66 passer rating when being targeted, a great number for any corner to have. Jackson also tacked on five interceptions to his season total, tied for third among all at his position. This is a great number to have, but it could indicate that Jackson went for the interception multiple times and ended up leaving his man open for big gains. It is worth noting that last year’s CB signing in Kristian Fulton (who recently signed with the Chiefs), went to the Bolts on a down year and was solid for most of the season. Jesse Minter has shown that he can perform miracles, so saying this signing was bad is a little premature.
Extended C Bradley Bozeman
This is not the move Chargers fans wanted to see from the organization. Bradley Bozeman was mediocre at best throughout last season and for everyone’s sake, bringing back the same interior line would not be ideal next year. On the surface, that is what this move shows. However, the chances are that this deal is not to keep Bozeman starting at Center next year. Bozeman’s leadership was felt throughout the entire locker room last year, most notably when he took down a defender who made a controversial play on Justin Herbert. It has also been reported that G Zion Johnson will take snaps at Center this offseason and could maybe take Bozeman’s starting spot. This is not a guarantee, but Bozeman’s extension isn’t worth panicking over yet.
Extended P JK Scott
This is the most “nothing” move of the day for the Bolts, as JK Scott was a non-factor on Special teams for a majority of the season. He began struggling punting the ball far enough, and he only made up for it with one or two solid performances. A team can win without an elite punter, but signing Scott to an extension definitely won’t get the fans riled up.
Re-Signed DL Teair Tart to a one-year, $5.5M Contract
This is probably the best signing the Bolts made all day. Among the players who had breakout years in LA last year, Teair Tart flew under the radar. Tart was graded 17th among 214 DL last season by PFF. While his presence may not have been as strong as Poona Ford (who signed with the Rams yesterday), he was a great piece who has not even turned 30 yet. They give him a prove-it deal heading into next season where he will likely play a larger role in the defense. Of course, that does not mean they shouldn’t get another upgrade to the interior D-line over the offseason.
Signed RB Najee Harris to a one-year, $5.5M Contract
This was the last signing of the night in Los Angeles, and it was undoubtedly the biggest they made all day. Najee Harris is coming off of four straight 1,000 rushing yard seasons and he will head to a run-first Greg Roman offense on a prove-it deal. Harris has high potential here and he could easily have a great season. He is a great scheme fit with Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman. Plus, the deal is at a good value for the Chargers. However, there are some big implications this deal could have on other parts of the Chargers offseason. For one, JK Dobbins is still available and could still be re-signed as he and Narris are very different players. They could also draft Omarion Hampton at pick 22 since Harris is on a one-year deal. No matter what, they need to upgrade the interior offensive line since Harris has averaged 3.9 yards per carry throughout his career and would benefit greatly from having good protection. If the Chargers go out and get a guy like Mekhi Becton before the season starts, the Najee Harris signing could look really good a year from now.