The Los Angeles Chargers, for the most part, have concluded their offseason business.
They've addressed needs along the entirety of the defense, and their additions on offense have clearly been intended to ease the transition into Mike McDaniel's scheme. Combine their early free-agent activity with their well-rounded draft class, and it's easy to see the vision they've outlined this offseason.
They've also provided a direct answer to almost every departure, apart from Benjamin St-Juste. St-Juste, who had a resurgent season under Jesse Minter's zone-heavy scheme, inked a two-year, $10 million deal with the Green Bay Packers at the outset of free agency. Although Los Angeles can likely expect steps forward from both Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still in 2026, St-Juste took 37% of the Chargers' defensive snaps last season when he was available.
They have yet to acquire a player with a clear path toward taking on that role.
While they have internal options, Rasul Douglas' decision to sign a one-year deal worth up to $3.8 million with the Washington Commanders means the external market at the position is now exceedingly slim. If Los Angeles ultimately intends to add a cornerback to their room, their best option might now be a preseason trade.
Rasul Douglas' signing makes the remaining cornerback market look frighteningly slim
As mentioned above, the Chargers don't necessarily need to add another cornerback this offseason. Both Eric Rogers and Deane Leonard have earned their shots at roles within the regular course of the defense. There's also no reason to assume that Chris O'Leary won't be able to elevate his secondary talent in the same way that Minter did.
If either of those players shows enough juice in training camp, they should have the clearest path to taking over a portion of St-Juste's snaps from last season.
But in terms of external options, Douglas was the most immediately viable. He finished 24th out of 114 qualified cornerbacks according to Pro Football Focus's coverage grading system, posting nine PBUs and 22 stops across 15 games with the Miami Dolphins last season. As he enters his age-31 season, there's definitely room for decline. But as he enters a depleted Commanders secondary, the hope is clearly that he'll help stabilize their room.
Beyond Douglas, there are still some veteran options available on the market— including Trevon Diggs, Adoree' Jackson, Marshon Lattimore, and Tre'Davious White. But each of those players comes with a healthy measure of risk above and beyond what Douglas provides.
Of course, this is the nature of late-offseason signings. The Chargers won't truly know if there's a need until the pads come on in training camp, and the players that are still on the open market will be biding their time, seeking out their best opportunity.
But Douglas' signing with Washington takes the most viable cornerback option off the market, which could prove to be bad news for Los Angeles if Rogers or Leonard don't convincingly seize the job.
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