There hasn't been much buzz about impending Chargers free-agent wide receiver Joshua Palmer. Through a litany of media reports, Los Angeles has been linked to bigger names on the market.
Still, Palmer could represent at least a fallback option for the Chargers if they were to strike out on the bigger free-agent market names.
But it's possible there's more external interest in Palmer than most fans would think. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler listed the free-agent wideout as a name who "might do better than you think" in March. Fowler writes that Palmer is a "buzz-worthy name among some teams as a sleeper receiver".
Chargers' Joshua Palmer may receive more buzz in free agency than expected
While the Chargers will likely have their pick of top free agent or trade wideouts in a little over a week, Palmer having a competitive market has a few consequences. For one, it may be harder to hold on to him as a "just in case" option if they were to strike out on other receivers.
The second consequence is Joe Hortiz's comp pick game. Should Palmer eclipse a $3-4 million average annual value salary in free agency, he could factor into the Chargers' formula as a departing free agent they'd receive a draft pick for.
Of course, it depends on how much money is spent and how many external names are signed in this upcoming free agency cycle; comp cancellations and accounting are likely always on Hortiz's brain.
Pro Football Focus recently released a new projection for Palmer as they extended their top-100 free agent rankings list to 124 names. Palmer came in as the 101st ranked free agent on the newly updated list.
The former third-round pick is now projected to get a two-year deal worth $13 million ($7.5 million guaranteed). If Palmer were to leave Los Angeles, that figure would almost certainly put him into the Chargers' comp pick equation.
Should the Chargers miss out on other big receiver names, though, a $6.5 million AAV projection doesn't seem like an incredible cost to potentially bring Palmer back. But if Fowler's sources are to be believed here, Palmer may very well beat his PFF projection.