The LA Chargers didn't wait for NFL free agency to start to re-sign Elijah Molden to a three-year contract worth $18.75 million.
Molden signed for more than he was projected to with many expecting the breakout safety to sign a one-year deal after his late-season injury. However, the Chargers obviously believe in Molden long-term and locked him down with a multi-year deal he may not have expected.
With a growing salary cap, Molden's deal may foreshadow a reality in which several Chargers free agents sign for more than expected this offseason. If this ends up being the case, with Molden already locked up, one Chargers free agent is all but gone.
Chargers prioritizing Elijah Molden all but guarantees Asante Samuel Jr. won't return
It would be genuinely shocking if Asante Samuel Jr. returns to the Chargers after the team made it such a priority to re-sign Molden.
Samuel and Molden do not play the same position with the former being a cornerback and the latter being a safety. However, Molden does have a direct impact at cornerback as him returning allows Derwin James to play more nickel corner (where he thrived in 2024).
With rookies Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still both exceeding expectations in 2024, there isn't a direct need for Samuel in this secondary. And with Molden signing for way more than his projected contract, it is hard to project what Samuel's deal will look like. Pro Football Focus projects Samuel to get a three-year, $43.5 million contract with $26.5 million guaranteed. That may end up being on the low end.
Even if Samuel signs for that exact amount, it seems unlikely the Chargers would commit a combined $62.5 million to two defensive backs when there are other needs on the roster.
The elephant in the room is the fact Samuel and the Chargers appear to be on weird footing heading into the offseason. Samuel was a late-in-the-week addition to the Injured Reserve prior to Week 6's game against the Denver Broncos.
Jim Harbaugh said Samuel suffered an injury outside of practice and was rather crytpic whenever he was asked about Samuel's status during the year. Samuel, meanwhile, said after the season he suffered a stinger and that was the reason for his absence.
Whatever the truth is, the fact of the matter is the Chargers had the top-scoring defense in the sport with Samuel missing 13 of the team's 17 games. If the Chargers were able to do that without Samuel then it is hard to see the team prioritizing him this offseason at that price.
Instead, after re-signing Molden, the much more cost-effective route is signing a cheaper free agent or drafting a cornerback in the 2025 NFL Draft.