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Chargers free agency update: Darius Philon and Adrian Phillips

By Tyler Schoon

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Adrian Phillips of Los Angeles Chargers gives instruction to his team during the NFL International Series match between Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers at Wembley Stadium on October 21, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Adrian Phillips of Los Angeles Chargers gives instruction to his team during the NFL International Series match between Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers at Wembley Stadium on October 21, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /
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Bolt Beat gives an update on the status of two two free agents, and a look at future compensatory picks that could be awarded in 2020…

Here are the updates on DT Darius Philon, S Adrian Phillips, and the compensatory pick reward system in 2020:

Darius Philon, DT: Signs two-year, $10 mil deal with the Arizona Cardinals

General manager Tom Telesco regularly makes an effort to retain players that he brought in via the draft, so Philon’s departure comes as a surprise. The former sixth-round selection of the 2015 NFL Draft has improved in each of the past four years, and many expected him to return to the Chargers.

While losing a player in free agency is understandable (and normal), it’s hard to justify losing Philon and giving 34-year-old Brandon Mebane a similar two-year contract. The interior of the defensive line now looks like:

  1. Mebane: 34 years old, 39.09 percent of the team’s 2018 defensive snaps.
  2. Justin Jones: Last year’s third round pick, 28.96 percent of the team’s 2018 snaps.
  3. T.Y. McGill: 4.73 percent of the team’s 2018 snaps.

The likelihood that the Chargers now select a defensive lineman in the draft has now increased, though it’s more likely the team can wait until Day 2 to make a selection in a draft deep with defensive talent.

Onto better news…

Adrian Phillips, S: Contract details emerge

Adrian Phillips (Chargers), $2M, $1.25M gtd, $500K signing bonus, salary $1.5M ($750K gtd); $500K playtime, Pro Bowl, team qualifier incentive

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 21, 2019

If the Chargers overpaid for Mebane, they absolutely stole money from Phillips. This is about as team-friendly as a contract can get for a player that led the league in special teams tackles, registered 94 combined tackles, and became a First-Team All-Pro and Pro-Bowl player.

Compensatory picks

Per Over the Cap:

Overthecap's compensatory pick projections for the #Chargers pic.twitter.com/ZSTb9kBfm1

— Bolt Beat (@BB_Chargers) March 22, 2019

Next. Who makes the Chargers' defensive Mount Rushmore

Unless the Chargers bring in a higher profile free agent, the team could be awarded a possible fourth round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. This reward system will be especially interesting in the coming years, in which guys like Melvin Gordon, Adrian Phillips, Hunter Henry, Jatavis Brown, and Mike Pouncey are projected 2020 free agents.

Keep following along with Bolt Beat for more free agent and draft updates!

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