Right on the heels of navigating the 2025 NFL Draft the LA Chargers have to make a big decision regarding the player they drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Zion Johnson is entering his fourth season in the league and as such, the Chargers need to make a decision on his fifth-year rookie option.
The Chargers have not committed either way to picking up Johnson's option, with a decision due by May 1. Based on his play thus far in his career, it's impossible to blame the Chargers for taking their time with this decision.
General manager Joe Hortiz was asked about Johnson's fifth-year option after the 2025 NFL Draft and wouldn't commit either way. While Hortiz didn't commit to not picking up the option, he comments aren't necessarily a ringing endorsement of Johnson, either.
Joe Hortiz said that the Chargers are still discussing whether or not to pick up G Zion Johnson’s fifth year option. The deadline is May 1. pic.twitter.com/ZJT3cFjEwH
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) April 27, 2025
Chargers' noncommittal answer is bad for Zion Johnson
Johnson's fifth-year option could still be picked up by the Chargers before the May 1 deadline. However, it is never a great look when the GM refuses to commit to a player whe publicly asked about them in this forum.
Chargers fans who have watched Johnson in his first three seasons are not surprised. Despite there being a lot of fanfare around him when he was drafted, the former Boston College guard simply has not lived up to the hype.
It hasn't been all bad for Johnson but he has had too many costly mistakes that have hurt the Chargers in his three years. He was a key part of the Chargers' offensive struggles in the NFL Playoffs last season.
Johnson's fifth-year option is projected to be worth just over $17.5 million in 2026. That is a lot to pay to an interior offensive lineman whom the team might not be sold on. Heck, the Chargers don't even know what position Johnson will play in 2025 as he is already flirting with a move to center.
At this point, it would be more surprising if Johnson's fifth year was picked up than it would be if it wasn't. As promising as he was as a first-round pick, he has not done enough to earn a big payday from a front office that didn't even draft him.
All Joe Hortiz's comments do is confirm this reality.