Chargers free agents who are still unemployed with OTAs in full swing

After a long offseason full of coaching changes, front office rebirth and roster reconstruction, the LA Chargers are finally back on the field with the start of OTAs. Fans might still be a long time away from real Chargers football, but OTAs at least give fans a glimpse of what is to come.

Things could still change from now to the start of training camp for the Bolts. It is common for players to sign after OTAs ahead of training camp and the Bolts certainly have the bandwidth to add more veterans into the fray after OTAs.

Any free agents signed over the summer will undoubtedly be external, as any internal free agents would have already been re-signed. That is bad news for several Chargers free agents, who still remain unemployed as OTAs kick off throughout the league.

Some of these free agents may get a chance to make a 53-man roster next season. Others, though, could see their NFL careers come to an end.

Chargers free agents who are still looking for a job:

S Dean Marlowe | 553 snaps in 2023

Dean Marlowe played more snaps than any other Chargers free agent who still does not have a job. That is because Marlowe also played a big role on special teams, logging 258 snaps for Ryan Ficken on that side of the ball.

Because of his special teams value and how well he played given the circumstances, it would be surprising if Marlowe doesn't get some kind of opportunity to make a roster in 2024.

IDL Nick Williams | 507 snaps in 2023

After signing Bud Dupree earlier this month it is unlikely that the Chargers are going to bring back Nick Williams. The Chargers now have more freedom to kick Tuli Tuipulotu inside, and with the existing defensive line depth, there is no space for Williams.

Even though he played over 500 snaps last season, it would not be surprising if the 34-year-old gets aged out of the NFL in 2024.

RB Joshua Kelley | 470 snaps in 2023

Joshua Kelley is the most notable Chargers free agent who still does not have a job. Even though Kelley showed flashes of being special last season, it is not hard to see why he has not signed with a team.

Running back is the densest position in the league, especially when it comes to young running backs who are rotational options. It is not surprising that teams would rather take a chance on a mid-to-late-round rookie rather than sign Kelley with four years of miles on his legs.

WR Alex Erickson | 346 snaps in 2023

The wide receiver room was so banged up for the Chargers last season that Alex Erickson ended up playing over 300 snaps. But to be fair, a lot of those snaps came late in the season once Justin Herbert was on the sideline.

Erickson has played for four different teams the last four years and his best chance to a roster spot is someone getting hurt and a team needing to back-fill the depth.

DB Essang Bassey | 271 snaps in 2023

Essang Bassey was claimed off waivers by the Chargers to provide depth while the secondary dealt with injuries. Bassey showed glimpses of potential in Brandon Staley's defense but ultimately was not good enough to get a job early in free agency.

Bassey is still young and he did play 439 total snaps between the Chargers and Denver Broncos last season, so he could get a shot in training camp to win a roster spot on another team.

LB Tanner Muse | 198 snaps in 2023

Tanner Muse played just shy of 200 special teams snaps in 2023 but did not play a single snap on defense. Despite playing a lot of snaps on special teams, Muse obviously was not good enough to bring back for Ficken's special teams unit.

S Raheem Layne | 150 snaps in 2023

Raheem Layne was once a training camp standout who fans thought would result in something. That obviously did not happen and now he finds himself without a job after playing under 100 snaps on both defense and special teams (76 and 74, respectively).

DL Justin Hollins | 150 snaps in 2023

Justin Hollins definitely is not coming back to the Chargers and he is going to have to do a lot to get a roster spot in 2024. Hollins played just 113 defensive snaps for the Bolts in 2023 and they were not particularly great snaps.

WR Keelan Doss | 104 snaps in 2023

Don't expect Doss to land a job anytime soon. Doss's tenure with the Chargers seemed like his last chance at a concrete job in the league, especially with very little special teams value.