The LA Chargers put together a solid offseason in free agency. The team was able to bring back the most important free agents and even those who left for an AFC West rival were replaced by former All-Pros. While it was not the headline-grabbing offseason of 2021, it was still solid nonetheless.
Most of the free agents that the Chargers opted not to bring back ended up quickly finding new homes for the 2023 season. Even Storm Norton was able to sign a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints to continue his NFL career.
But that is not true for all Chargers free agents. There are still some notable veterans on the market who are just waiting for that phone call to compete for a roster spot in training camp.
3 Chargers from 2022 who still remain unsigned:
1. Kyle Van Noy
Kyle Van Noy was signed last offseason to be a depth option at inside linebacker and on the edge. Early on in the season, Van Noy played a good amount of inside backer as that seemed to be where most of his value was at this point in his career.
However, the Joey Bosa injury forced Van Noy to play more on the edge than the team likely expected and it was not great early on. However, Van Noy rallied to record a sack in each of the Chargers' last five games. That alone seemingly earned him a new contract somewhere in 2023.
That has not been the case thus far as Van Noy remains unsigned as we head into June. While he is on the wrong side of 30, Van Noy is still only 32 and shouldn't be near the end of his NFL career quite yet. Even if he is not an option for a high snap count, he is a veteran leader that could be a positive presence in the locker room.
Bringing Van Noy made sense at one point in time for the Chargers but with the roster where it is at now, it seems more likely that he will have to change teams again if he wants to stay in the NFL.
2. Bryce Callahan
This is perhaps the most surprising player on the list as Bryce Callahan had a really good season for the LA Chargers in 2022. Callahan was signed to a one-year flier after the 2022 NFL Draft as the Bolts did not draft a starting-caliber slot corner.
That role was Callahan's for the taking and he did great in the slot. He was by no means perfect but he absolutely played better than most pundits expected and seemingly earned a new contract in the process. After all, there was already an established foundation there for Callahan.
The only reason why Callahan was a flier to begin with was because of injuries he suffered in Denver that hurt his play. Once he was healthy with the Bolts he proved that he could contribute to an NFL defense, even if it was just in a rotational role.
At 31 years old, it seems unlikely that Callahan would outright be out of the league after the season he put together for the Chargers. If J.C. Jackson's injury was more serious he would be a no-brainer to bring back but with Jackson's recovery coming along nicely, the Chargers may simply not have room for Callahan.
It is still strange that another team hasn't jumped on Callahan as a savvy veteran signing that at the very least adds depth. Perhaps he goes to the Miami Dolphins to reunite with Vic Fangio.
3. Sony Michel
Sony Michel's NFL career is a cautionary tale of why NFL teams don't typically value taking running backs in the first round of the NFL Draft. Granted, every situation is different, but Michel flamed out very quickly in the league and was not worth the first-round pick that the New England Patriots used on him.
Michel had a promising rookie season but things only got worse as his Patriots career continued. The team cut ties with him before his rookie contract was up, trading him to the LA Rams for a fifth and sixth-round pick.
Michel was not much better there under Sean McVay. He rushed for over 900 yards but averaged only 4.1 yards per carry and found the endzone only four times in 208 carries. The Rams let him walk after 2021.
Miami signed Michel before the 2022 season but cut him as part of final roster cuts before the season. That opened the door for the Chargers to sign him and it was viewed as a great move as the Chargers were taking a flier on a former first-round pick with potential.
It just never worked out. Michel struggled any time he saw the field and he was quickly played out of the running back rotation altogether. He was released at the end of the season and has not found a new home since.
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