We're assuming that after two-plus weeks of free agency, it's safe to say that the Los Angeles Chargers didn't make the impact some thought they would, despite having an absurd amount of salary cap space to work with.
If we're being honest, the most attention they've received wasn't for a player they signed, but instead for one that they lost when edge rusher Odafe Oweh opted to sign a four-year, $100 million contract across the country and out of the conference with the Washington Commanders. But if we're also being honest on that, the Commanders overpaid. Oweh is a strong player, but is he worth $25 million per season? We're thinking not, and that's obviously what Chargers GM Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh were thinking as well.
Now, it's not as if the Chargers haven't made any moves. In addition to bringing back a plethora of their own free agents, including Khalil Mack, they did make several external additions in center Tyler Biadasz, blocking tight end Charlie Kolar, running back/return specialist Keaton Mitchell, offensive guards Cole Strange and Kayode Awosika, and defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson. These aren't high-profile signings by any stretch, but they're certainly strategic moves, most of which should work well.
Of these signings, Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus recently took the time to offer up his thoughts on which was the best and which was the worst. And without giving anything away, the two players he mentioned were Biadasz and Strange. Okay, that really didn't do anything, as I'm sure you've already figured out which directions he took.
PFF names Tyler Biadasz the Chargers' best signing thus far, with Cole Strange as the worst
As you can see from that headline above, Buday rolled with Biadasz as the Bolts' best signing thus far, and this was his assessment:
"The Chargers might have slightly overpaid for Biadasz, locking him up before the start of free agency. However, considering the state of the team's interior offensive line over the past couple of seasons, overpaying for an above-average player is more than justified. Biadasz ranked 12th among centers with a 70.7 PFF overall grade in 2025, although he is also coming off a serious injury."
At $10 million per season, Biadasz currently has the ninth-highest average annual value at the center position. But that's really not as bad as Baday kinda makes it out to be when you realize that the difference between ninth and first is $17 million, as Tyler Linderbaum is being paid $27 million per year by the Las Vegas Raiders. So, $10 million is certainly just fine.
Yes, Biadasz did end the year on injured reserve due to both knee and ankle issues, but he never had to undergo surgery for either ailment, and he's already listed as fully healthy. So, that's obviously good news. And let's get real here. He'd have to have just a truly dreadful campaign to be any worse than Bradley Bozeman was last year. So, this is certainly a solid signing.
On the flip side, we come to Strange, with Baday making these remarks on the former first-round pick:
"The overpay for Biadasz is understandable. This one is not. Strange, a former first-round pick, has earned PFF overall grades below 60.0 in three of his four NFL seasons and ranked just 57th among 79 qualifying guards in PFF overall grade (54.9) in 2025. Los Angeles made him the 19th-highest-paid left guard in the NFL this offseason. It is unlikely that he will be the solution for the Chargers’ struggles on the interior."
There's not a lot to argue here, as Strange, who was taken 29th overall by the New England Patriots in 2022 and spent this past year in Miami with Mike McDaniel, was given a two-year, $13 million deal. It's not huge money, but it's obviously starter money, and we currently have him starting at right guard.
That may change, of course, but the situation at left guard is actually even more pressing, as a returning Trevor Penning is penciled in there for the moment.
The Strange signing doesn't have to be bad, though, as he could conceivably join Trey Pipkins III in a swing role if the Bolts add an interior starter or two during the draft. Plus, he has experience in McDaniel's offense, so his knowledge there will be helpful. Plus, the Chargers do have an out after the 2026 season, as they could release him and take on just $2.875 million in dead money. So, while it's not the greatest signing, it's also not the nightmare most think.