The first wave of NFL free agency has subsided so the Chargers news is not hitting fans at a rapid pace any longer. That being said, there is still a lot going on around the team as it prepares for the 2023 NFL Draft in April.
There are still moves that could be made with the team's remaining salary-cap space and we might see LA wait until after the 2023 NFL Draft like they did last season. There is also the lingering Austin Ekeler situation, which could result in an extension, a trade, or Ekeler playing out the 2023 season unhappy.
Head coach Brandon Staley spoke to reporters at the owners meeting on Monday and it provided plenty of Chargers news to go over. Let's dive in, shall we?
Chargers news roundup:
- Staley confirmed that the team is still working on an extension for franchise quarterback Justin Herbert. The quarterback market is a bit in flux right now so it is not surprising to see the Chargers take their time and evaluate what the market is. Ideally, the two sides can agree to a new deal before training camp even begins.
- Staley commented on the Eric Kendricks signing and the departure of Drue Tranquill and it might not have produced what fans would have expected. Staley said that signing Kendricks was more about getting him in the building, not to replace Tranquill. Staley thanked Tranquill for his contributions in LA.
- Staley did comment on the ongoing situation with Austin Ekeler but gave perhaps the vaguest answer he could have given. It seems like not even the Chargers or Ekeler know what is going to happen in the next few weeks and months around this situation.
Chargers HC Brandon Staley on Austin Ekeler: “We don’t have a timeline on what’s going to happen. We want him to be a Charger, but we’ll see where it goes. This is the NFL. We’ll see how it takes shape, but we love him and hopefully we can all come to the best solution.” pic.twitter.com/F3iq7w7OKa
— Eric Williams (@eric_d_williams) March 27, 2023
NFL News roundup:
- Former MVP Lamar Jackson confirmed on Twitter that he requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens earlier this March. The Ravens gave Jackson the non-exclusive franchise tag, opening the door for another team to potentially bring him in. This situation is currently hijacking the quarterback market.
- Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels did not rule out the possibility of the team drafting a quarterback even after they signed Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency.
- Sean Payton shut down the rumors that the Broncos could be looking to trade Courtland Sutton and/or Jerry Jeudy this offseason. Payton compared his denial of the trade rumors to throwing a fastball up-and-in to someone who is crowding the plate. Leave it to Payton to come up with an obscure baseball reference.