Chargers Now Facing Major Roster Shakeup After Disappointing Playoff Loss

The dust has yet to settle on the Los Angeles Chargers season but with their disappointing loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round it is officially over. Now, as cliches have it, the real work begins as Jim Harbaugh embarks on his second run.

His first offseason was spent rebuilding the roster in his image. That included several long-term solutions, but by and large, most of the moves were bandaids to ensure the ship was at least pointed in the right direction.

That means Harbaugh and Co. will have to make several important decisions in free agency. The list includes a high percentage of starters and intended starters.

Chargers 2025 Top Free Agents

NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Chargers
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  • Player: Pos., 2024 Snaps
  • Bradley Bozeman: C, 99.1%
  • Elijah Molden: CB, 69.5%
  • Kristian Fulton: CB, 69.5%
  • Josh Palmer: WR, 57.7%
  • Khalil Mack: EDGE, 56.4%
  • Poona Ford: IDL, 55.3%
  • Morgan Fox: IDL, 52.8%
  • J.K. Dobbins: RB, 50.0%
  • Marcus Maye: S, 37.7%
  • J.K. Scot:t P, 33.3%
  • Teair Tart: IDL, 31.8%
  • Denzel Perryman: LB, 31.1%
  • Troy Dye: LB, 29.1%
  • Simi Fehoko: WR, 22.9%
  • Asante Samuel Jr.: CB, 21.4%
  • Hayden Hurst: TE, 16.3%
  • Eli Apple: CB, 4.3%

Secondary Talent Suck

A cursory glance reveals two glaring needs, the secondary and the defensive line. At cornerback and safety, they have Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, slot corner Ja’Sir Taylor, and sophomores Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still. Regardless of whether they want those to be the starting nickel package, they will need to layer on three or four more players.

Before getting hurt, Elijah Molden, who the Chargers traded for less than two weeks before the season, emerged as a top safety option and should be a priority re-signing.

Defensive Line Departures

NFL: Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
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For the defensive line, they will have only Joey Bosa, Otito Ogbonnia, Tuli Tuipulotu, and, Justin Eboigbe under contract. And that is with major questions about Bosa’s health and longevity, which are very real concerns. Bosa himself even recognizes his playing days are quickly coming to an end. It’s doubtful they will be able to retain Mack unless he is willing to take a massive pay cut.

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Tart, Ford, and Fox will likely be a focus. They may be able to re-sign one or two, but certainly not all three.

An interior defensive lineman is also in play for the Chargers first-round draft pick.

Weak Weapons

The last big need that will be imperative to address is among the offensive playmakers. They currently stand to lose Dobbins, their top rushing threat. The playoff game proved that they only have one high-end receiver and that an interrogation of the tight end room needs to be a priority.

The Chargers attempted to stitch together a receiving corp from sub-500-yard cast-offs, which did not work. In addition to Palmer and Fehoko hitting the market, DJ Chark and Jalen Reagor will as well. The latter two are perfect examples of where the Charger’s bets went wrong.

They will also have to look into their pass-catching tight-end situation. Hurst was signed to a one-year deal and Will Dissly to three seasons. Before Hurst got injured, it was evident that the Chargers were planning on using them as a tandem. Dissly displayed competence, but with his two incredibly costly drops against the Texans, he cannot remain a top option.

Tight end is also a position to watch for the Chargers in the first round of the draft.