The LA Chargers have two glaring holes on the offensive line to fix at center and right guard. With ample monetary resources and the 2025 NFL Draft to utilize, there is no excuse for the Chargers to not go into the 2025 season with two new starters at those positions.
If the Chargers want to take the biggest swing possible then they will sign Kansas City Chiefs free agent Trey Smith. Smith is the best guard hitting free agency this offseason with Pro Football Focus projecting him to sign a four-year, $82 million contract.
The Chargers have the resources to sign Smith to that kind of contract. However, if the price starts to balloon the Chargers may end up balking after Smith's disappointing showing in the playoffs. Los Angeles needs guard help but doesn't need to spend way over market value for someone who just struggled on the biggest stage.
That may end up being what happens as players who are on a lower tier than Smith may end up with a $20 million price tag. According to NFL Network's Gregg Rosenthal, Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman will likely get paid in the $20 million range this offseason. Dalman is solid but that price comes as a massive surprise.
"Talking to people around the league, he is going to get a starting offensive lineman type of 'what, who got $20 million a year?'," Rosenthal said. "Drew Dalman will be that guy. He is absolutely getting that."
Drew Dalman getting $20 million may price Trey Smith away from the Chargers
Dalman is a solid starting center but compared to the rest of the league, he is slightly above average. He certainly is not close to being on the same tier as Smith, even though the two players do play different positions on the offensive line.
A $20 million annual salary would make Dalman the highest-paid center in the league, beating out Kansas City's Creed Humphrey, who is making $18 million a year. If Dalman is resetting the market and getting more than Humphrey then Smith will do the same thing at right guard.
The Falcons' Chris Lindstrom is the highest-paid right guard in the league, making $20.5 million. If an average center can make $2 million more than the top-paid center, then an above-average right guard can likely double that number over the highest-paid right guard.
Smith's starting point in free agency might be as high as $25 million a year. And while that is still manageable for the Chargers, Smith is the only top-tier guard on the free-agent market this offseason. With the cap rising, desperate teams may get into a bidding war and push his price all the way near $30 million a season.
That is simply too much for the Chargers to spend. Just because the team has the money does not mean it should justify spending $30 million on a guard, especially when there are cheaper options who can still be impactful on the Chargers.
If Rosenthal is right about Drew Dalman's market price then Chargers fans will have to kiss the idea of signing Trey Smith goodbye.