The LA Chargers lost a key member of the special teams unit on Tuesday when linebacker Nick Niemann signed a two-year deal with the Houston Texans. Replacing Niemann won't be easy and it put more urgency on the team to re-sign its other standout linebacker.
The Chargers did that on Wednesday, agreeing to a two-year deal with Troy Dye. Los Angeles did not get cheap with Dye, who is receiving more money than Niemann is getting with the Texans. Dye's contract is worth $5.5 million with the chance to earn up to $8 million with incentives.
It may not be the splashy signing some fans were hoping for but re-signing Dye serves as a foundational move for the Chargers to build on.
Chargers re-sign Troy Dye, who may have an even bigger role in 2025
Dye joined the Chargers in 2024 after a multi-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings where he crossed paths with special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken. Dye was brought in as a special teams specialist but ended up playing more defensive snaps due to necessity.
The 28-year-old linebacker did well in the chances he received on defense and may be in line for a bigger role on the Chargers' next season.
Veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman is also a free agent this offseason and has not yet been re-signed by the Chargers. With young linebackers Daiyan Henley and Junior Colson on the roster, this may be a sign that Perryman's Chargers reunion will last just one season.
If that is the case, it creates a path for Dye to get more snaps on defense at the linebacker position. He likely will not start over either player, unless Colson continues to struggle in his sophomore season, but he could get ample snaps as the team's third linebacker.
Dye played a career-high 318 snaps on defense last season, which was 29% of the Chargers' total defensive snaps. That number could creep up near the 40% range if Dye wins the LB3 job during training camp.
Regardless of his role on defense, there is no denying he will have a huge role on special teams. Dye was one of the Chargers' best special teams players last season and that should continue into 2025.
The former Viking played 80% of the Chargers' special teams snaps last season. That number may decline if he plays more defensive snaps but his impact on special teams won't decline.
The Chargers are showing they value Dye with a two-year contract worth up to $8 million. This is a savvy signing by the Bolts to bring back an impact player without breaking the bank.