The Los Angeles Chargers have a sneaky need at wide receiver this offseason.
For a while, the predominant line of thinking was that they would simply bring veteran wideout Keenan Allen back. But Allen remains an unrestricted free agent, and it begs a serious question. Why haven't they signed him yet?
It also seems unlikely that the Chargers will be willing to move Quentin Johnston, whose fifth-year option is due this offseason. This would leave them with a need solely out of the slot.
As a result, many outlets have linked unrestricted free agent Jauan Jennings as a potential fit for Los Angeles this offseason. The Chargers, for their part, have not publicly shown any interest in Jennings.
But the longer Jennings remains on the market, the lower his price is likely to be. If he stays there past the conclusion of the NFL Draft (and thus does not factor into Joe Hortiz's much-loved compensatory pick formula), he could perhaps be the perfect addition for the Chargers.
Jauan Jennings' fit makes sense for the Chargers, but it makes even more sense the longer he stays on the market
Many fans have been frustrated with the way Los Angeles has handled their offseason. They've been characteristically measured in their decision-making in spite of the enormous cap flexibility they had heading into free agency. It's not hard to read Hortiz's mind, however. The Chargers are looking to do anything they can to get ahead in the compensatory pick formula.
Signing a free agent of Jennings' caliber, who's likely looking for an annual value somewhere around $20 million, would hurt those efforts.
In one sense, Jennings has earned that number. Last season with the San Francisco 49ers, he posted 643 yards and nine touchdowns on 55 receptions. He's not far removed from his 975-yard campaign in 2024.
But it's clear that the market on him is not that high this offseason. If it was, he would have certainly signed already. If his value falls into the $12-15 million range annually, then we can start talking about his fit with Los Angeles. If he remains on the market after the NFL Draft, he would not factor into the compensatory pick formula.
The Chargers will also have a better idea of their roster at that time depending on what haul they come away from the draft with.
Jennings can operate physically out of the slot. He is a strong redzone receiver, and his run-blocking abilities put him near the top of the league at his position. In a nutshell, he can do almost everything you'd ask a slot receiver to do. That sounds like Jim Harbaugh's type of player.
We're less than a month away from the NFL Draft. If his market remains stagnant much longer, therefore, it's reasonable to expect Los Angeles to start poking around (if they haven't already).