Source: YardBarker.com

The San Diego Chargers season ended after the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week, so it is time to look toward the future.

They have a long list of free agents heading into the off-season. I went through the Chargers roster to see which contracts were ending after the season.

Here is the list of starters expected to become free agents:

Starters:
LB Antwan Applewhite – Restricted Free Agent
LB Stephen Cooper
OT Jeromey Clary
LB Kevin Burnett
WR Malcom Floyd
WR Vincent Jackson
S Eric Weddle
DL Jacques Cesaire
RB Mike Tolbert – Restricted Free Agent

Just like last off-season, this year’s list is headlined by WR Vincent Jackson. Jackson is a Pro-Bowl Wide Receiver that held a contract dispute during the season. There is talk that the Chargers will use the Franchise Tag (if it still exists after the Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed) on him to keep him as a Charger for another year.

The other starting WR, Malcom Floyd, will become a free agent also. He struggled to stay healthy during the season and that may have hurt his hopes of getting a big contract. This will give the Chargers a better opportunity to keep him wearing the Blue and Yellow.

Starting linebackers Stephen Cooper and Kevin Burnett will both be free agents. Cooper is a key contributor on the defense who is intelligent, makes all the play calls and is the defensive captain. He would be very difficult to replace on the defense if he left. Burnett is also a very good defensive middle linebacker, but he may have performed well enough to find a bigger contract elsewhere.
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