We’ve just released Episode 141 of the Thunder Down Under Chargers Podcast.
Our synopsis is below:
TDU IS BACK IN TOWN! After a restful break, we return to the airwaves to discuss all the recent Chargers news and the team’s 2026 offseason plan. Oh yes, Hortiz has made his first big move of free agency this morning signing a new starting Center, former Commander Tyler Biadasz, to a 3yr, $30m deal. But there are still so many questions left to answer. Is some Mega Trade on the horizon? Which free agents (internal or external) will Hortiz prioritise applying the most cap space in the NFL towards? We address it all on our first show of TDU Season 5. Don’t miss it!
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Alister (@TDU_Alister)
Long time team fan, podcaster (with Thunder Down Under Chargers Podcast), husband to a beautiful wife, friend to all fellow Chargers fanatics, and father-to-be!
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Mack is back, 1 year 18M
And Crosby to the Ravens. Will be fun to see what Minter can scheme up with Max (when Balt is not playing the Chargers.
The Raiders also waived Geno.
Players I expect the team to target in FA
§ RB Kenneth Gainwell (26.9yo, 5’9”, 200 pounds, 2021 (5 years exp), Philly Eagles, 5 (151), Memphis Tigers)
· Most carries (120), yards (557), TDs (5) in 2025 with the Steeelers, 4.6 ypa
· 77 catches, 512 yds, 3 TDs in 2025
· Good kick returner (75.0 PFF Grade in 2024 & 2025). Doesn’t return punts.
· Another good zone scheme fit
· PFF projects 2yr, $8m ($4m guaranteed)
§ WR Mike Evans 31.5yo projected at 1yr, $18m
§ TE Jonnu Smith (30.5yo, 6’3“, 248 pounds, 4.62 forty, 2017 (9 years exp), Tennessee Titans, Rnd 3 (100), Florida International Golden Panthers
· Delanie Walker mould, not a run blocker
· Coming off a down year in Pittsburgh but had 88 catches for 886 yds, 8 TDs with Mike McDaniel in 2024
· No impact on comp pick formaula as a released player
· Played for $5.128m cap hit in 2025
· I’d offer 1yr, $3.5m
§ TE Charlie Kolar (27.0yo, 6’6“, 257 yds, 2022 (4 years exp), Baltimore Ravens (4 (128), Iowa State Cyclones
· Great run blocker.
· 991 career snaps (683 as a run blocker)
· Projected at 1yr, $1.75m.
· I’d give him 2 yrs, $5m ($3m guaranteed)
§ G Isaac Seumalo (Arthur Smith’s zone scheme last year, for 73.3 Grade, projected at 1yr, $8m)
§ LB Leo Chenal (25.3 yo, 6’3”, 250 pounds, 2022 (4 year exp), Wisconsin Badgers)
· Plays about 500 snaps per season
· PFF Grades of 84.0, 81.5 and 75.1 from 2023-2025
· Elite in Run Defense to complement Henley
· 2x Super Bowl Winner in first two seasons as a Pro
o 86.0 Grade in the win v Eagles, 4 Run Stops
o 92.0 Grade in the win v 49ers, Forced Fumble)
· Projected at 2yr, $12m ($10m guaranteed)
· I’d offer 2yr, $15m ($10m guaranteed)
Other players I think could be targeted due to value, scheme fit or past experience with Chargers coaches/front office (underlined = best value or makes the most sense in my opinion)
§ RB Tyler Allgeier (25.8yo, 5’11“, 220 pounds, 2022 (4 years exp.), Atlanta Falcons, Rnd 5 (151), BYU Cougars
· Only 676 carries from 4 seasons (low wear and tear), very high PFF grades averaging 4.3 ypc (3.27 YCO/A)
· Heavy Zone experience (3:1 career ratio)
· PFF projects 2yr, $10m ($5m guaranteed).
§ DE Jadeveon Clowney (33 yo, 79.2 Grade last season)
· 372 snaps, 9 sacks, 40 pressures, 27 Run Stops
· Played for 1yr, $3.5m
· I’d happily pay him 1yr, $7.5m to be Edge 4 with Dupree gone§
RB Rachaad White (zone scheme)
§ RB Raheem Mostert (with McDaniel in San Fran and Miami, had 1,045 rush yards, 18 TDs in 2023, only 22 carries with the Raiders in 2025 for 104 yds)
§ WR Jalen Nailor (27yo, 6’0”, 190 pounds, 4.50s forty, 2022 (4 years exp), Minnesota Vikings (6 (191), Michigan State Spartans)
· 400+ yds in 2024 & 2025
· Averages about 15.0 yards per reception.
· Vertical threat with decent skills
· PFF Projects: 1 yr, $3.5m
· Maybe redundant with KLS?
§ WR Deebo Samuel (Mike McDaniel connection, projected at 2yr, $32m, $20m guaranteed)
§ WR Rashid Shaheed (speed threat, projected at 3yr, $42m, $24m guaranteed)
§ WR Tyquan Thornton (speed threat)
§ WR Hollywood Brown (speed threat/Baltimore)
§ WR Tutu Atwell (speed threat)
§ TE Darren Waller (Previous experience with McDaniel)
§ TE Tyler Higbee
§ TE Durham Smythe (Previous experience with McDaniel)
§ G Alijah Vera-Tucker
§ G Dylan Parham (63.6 Grade in 2025)
§ G Ed Ingram (73.8 Grade in 2025 with Houston)
§ G Daniel Brunskill (32yo, with McDaniel in Miami and SF last year, 60.6 Grade and 176 with Miami (C, RG, ITE). This is the new Tucker Fisk type. $1.3m
§ G Liam Eichenberg (28.1yo, 1,036 at RG for Miami in 2024 (53.1 Grade, spent year on PUP list with a serious leg injury)
§ G Cole Strange (27.5yo, 808 snaps at RG for Miami last year (54.9 Grade), 1 yr, veteran minimum
§ DT Calais Campbell (39 yo, 6 sacks in 2025, with Mike McDaniel in 2024 where he had a 82.3 Grade)
§ CB Rasul Douglas (30 yo, 851 snaps and 72.7 Grade with Miami last season. Played outside CB. PFF’s 19th ranked corner of 114)
§ CB Chidobe Awuzie (30 yo, Baltimore last season, 75.4 Grade)
§ S Jordan Poyer (34yo, spent time with McDaniel in 2024, playing 964 snaps at a 62.5 Grade)
I haven’t listened to the podcast yet, but I hope you are wrong about Chenal and Evans at their respective pricetags.
Fair enough.
The Mike Evans one I totally understand.
The Chenal one, not so much. We are awash with cap space (even more so now, after the Biadasz decision) and this is a weaker free agency class at DT and CB. I could see the team signing some of its own at those positions at reasonable cost (Hand, St Juste), maybe drafting a penetraring 3-tech at 1.22. Or a CB on Day 3.
So bringing in a quality LB like Chenal in FA at that price strikes me as good value for money/smart business.
I’d feel differently about it if I thought we were cap constrained.
But if we want, we’ve got the money to upgrade both Guard positions, sign multiple Edges, and still easily fit in Chenal’s contract. I say be aggressive!
I just posted a post that uses all cap space without adding a LB other than Phillips. I used the “awash in cap space” elsewhere. Interested in your thoughts on that.
IMO it is not possible to be strong at every position group. Given that, IMO LB is a position group that makes sense to short. Especially given the 3rd round investment in Colson that has not yet reached a final disposition. If he can perform, no need for another LB. That is an open question, but the answer is not predetermined to be no, he cannot perform. IMO the nature of roster building in the NFL suggests that the Chargers need to give him one more chance before moving on.
I like a lot of the same players on this list (Chenal, Vera-Tucker, Eichenberg, Nailor, White). I think we absolutely need to add a RB, LB and CB in FA, because of the dearth of draft picks this year.
I think Gainwell will be priced out. He had a fantastic season in2025 and someone will give him starter level money. I am not sure Allgeier has the running style for this offense, unless you are making him a short yardage/goal line back because he is a power runner. I prefer White over both because of his play style and hands out of the backfield.
IMO, the LB room needs a solid vet. We are one Henley injury away from a bad unit. Dye is great in his role as LB3/ST player/depth. Colson could be a bust and in a SB window I’m not just going to cross my fingers that he works out. I want to be prepared for another flameout season from him and I want more experience than Wax or Phillips. I think Chenal is a perfect fit. If we went the draft route with a day 3 pick I wouldn’t mind either since Henley is due for a new contract after next season. The LB class in the draft and FA is a good one, so why not solidify the room for this year with an eye toward the unit in 2027?
I have not done my full CB scouting yet. I have only watched Hood and Cisse, but the CB draft class looks to be fairly good this year and I wouldn’t mind adding a more traditional cover corner to be able to play more varied and man coverages in O’Leary’s new scheme. Minter found success last year upping his man coverage usage as the season wore on, so I know O’Leary took notice since he was watching Minter’s gameplans all season as DC at WMU. CB has a tendency to get expensive in FA, but I wouldn’t mind taking a shot with Rasul Douglas, Martin Emerson, or Damarri Mathis.
I know he is an injury risk, but love the idea of adding Vera-Tucker. If he stays healthy he is borderline elite and he gives you RT flex should we need to toggle the OL again this season. I have liked Eichenberg since he came out, and he would be a good value signing with flex, but I have heard his leg injury was pretty bad and he is mulling retirement, so he would be an end of the bench depth signing for me. I would not be penciling him in as a starter or even flex role. We need so many bodies on the OL for starter and depth, we could name guys in FA who fit all day, but I want at least 2 of our first 4 draft picks used for this unit so we aren’t in this spot again anytime soon.
I am not to keen on spending on the WR room heavily in FA or the draft (but I could get behind Sadiq at 1.22). I would be interested in Jahan Dotson in McDaniel’s scheme. He was at his best in Penn State catching short to intermediate passes and screens and making yards after the catch, but in the pros teams have tried to use him as a more traditional outside receiver. He won’t be expensive and is still young. Other names that would not break the bank and could add some speed is Tylan Wallace and Jalen Tolbert.
As far as TE, I don’t know if they are looking for a stronger receiver or blocker? Fisk is an RFA so he’s probably back but this team needs to add two more players. I think Jonnu Smith gets priced out so maybe names like Hooper, Granson and Fant could work. I also think a sleeper could be Harrison Bryant in this scheme.
Gonna be an intriguing free agency period to see how they build this roster ahead of the draft.