The LA Chargers have been operating around the edges in free agency this year as the team has not had much cap space to spend and has had a lot of roster holes to fill. Even with a tough roster-building challenge, the Chargers have done a good job in who they have added.
As it stands right now, the Chargers have around $13 million in projected effective cap space. That is money the team can spend while also factoring in the NFL Draft class and an in-season budget.
The Chargers can sign quite a few free agents with $13 million. Here are the free agents who make the most sense for the team.
J.K. Dobbins makes sense for the Chargers
Just a few weeks after signing former Ravens running back Gus Edwards, the Chargers hosted his Baltimore teammate J.K. Dobbins for a visit. Dobbins was recently cleared for football activities and should be good to go for the 2024 season.
There is an inherent risk of signing Dobbins as he has not had the cleanest bill of health in recent years. For a team like the Chargers that is constantly battling injuries, signing someone who is injury-prone may not seem like a great idea.
All that being said, the upside is simply too high with Dobbins. Los Angeles can likely sign him on an extremely cheap deal and if he reaches his potential it will be the best-valued contract among any running back in the league. That is how naturally talented Dobbins is.
The Chargers would still need to draft a running back this year (both for depth purposes and the long-term outlook) but adding Dobbins alongside Edwards would be an excellent move for the Bolts.