The LA Chargers have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL heading into the 2022 season. While there are foundational pieces of the roster that will stick around for several years, there are also players who will leave after the 2022 season.
There is a long list of Chargers who could leave after the 2022 season. However, if we want to look at the players who are likely to leave, the list dwindles down to three. It seems far more likely that these three players will leave rather than stay, meaning that the 2022 season is the last time that Charger fans can cheer them on.
Here are 3 Chargers who will most likely leave the team after the 2022 season:
1. Nasir Adderley
Nasir Adderley took a huge leap in year three with the LA Chargers as he finally got a normal season that did not have injuries or a pandemic attached to it. Adderley will likely continue to get better in his fourth season, especially now that he has a full year in Brandon Staley's defense under his belt.
That will come at a perfect time for Adderley as it will allow him to raise his value on the free-agent market. With Adderley really coming into his own over the last two seasons, most Charger fans would argue that the team should be looking to bring him back next offseason.
While the Bolts would love to bring Adderley back, it is going to be hard to do so when the team is already likely going to commit a lot of money to another safety in Derwin James. Plus, drafting J.T. Woods in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft should have been a telling sign that they are preparing to lose safety depth after this season.
Hopefully, Adderley does have that fantastic season so he can not only help the Chargers compete for a Super Bowl but get paid a nice contract that he deserves.
2. Jerry Tillery
Jerry Tillery was selected in the same draft class as Nasir Adderley but he has been unable to make that same leap that Adderley has made. While Tillery has made small improvements throughout his three seasons, for the most part, he is the same player in 2022 that he was when the Chargers drafted him back in 2019.
It never fully came together for the late first-round pick. His scouting report out of Notre Dame indicated that he could be a boom or bust prospect and he has mostly been a bust for the Chargers. He has had his moments, sure, but he definitely has not played like a first-round talent.
Tillery shows flashes of that pass-rush presence that the Chargers drafted him for but he is far too inconsistent and for the most part, is a below-average pass-rusher. That obviously does not offset the hole in his game as a run defender, as he is really bad against the run on the inside.
The Chargers have rebuilt the defensive line this offseason and quite frankly, you could make the case for the team trading Tillery before the season begins if there is an offer on the table. The Bolts brought in a better version of Tillery in Morgan Fox after the 2022 NFL Draft.
It is more likely that he stays on the team in 2022 but either way, he is likely gone after this season. Either he has a breakout season and the Chargers don't want to get in a bidding war for him or he continues to play at this level and the Chargers simply don't want to re-sign him.
3. Michael Davis
Michael Davis is unlike the other two players that made the cut for this list. Both Adderley and Tillery are free agents after the 2022 season and that obviously opens the door for their tenure with the team to be over. Davis is not a free agent as he has one more year left under contract after 2022.
However, all the signs are pointing to the Chargers parting ways with Davis after this season unless he really turns things around and proves that he should stay on the team.
This might seem counter-productive to what the Chargers want to do as the secondary is still a tad bit thin and Brandon Staley loves corners. That being said, Davis did not really play well in his first season under Staley. Because of that, the team is reportedly not that high on Davis any longer.
Los Angeles would obviously have to replace Davis in some capacity. J.C. Jackson and Asante Samuel Jr. could be a lethal 1-2 combo but the Chargers are still going to need more depth than they even have this season. Letting Davis go can actually help accomplish that, though.
The Chargers can cut Davis and save $7.4 million against the cap next season. With an impending extension to James, this could be a great way for the team to save money, bring in multiple depth corners and draft a corner high in the 2023 NFL Draft. That would be a way to improve the outlook of the defense and save money in the process.
That being said, if Davis turns it around and has a great season then the Chargers are going to have no choice but to keep him around. It would truly have to be a great season, though.