What the Chargers offseason could look like if they copy the Bengals

The LA Chargers enter the 2022 offseason with a lot of cap space to spend and some big holes on the roster to fill. The Bolts have the ceiling of being a Super Bowl contender because of Justin Herbert and with Herbert still on his rookie contract, this offseason becomes very important for the Bolts.

While both the draft and free agency are important, the latter is going to be extremely telling with what the team's plans are for the 2022 season and beyond. That free-agent activity will directly impact what positions the team targets in the draft as well as show what Brandon Staley prioritizes when spending.

A great example for the LA Chargers to look at is the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals made a Super Bowl run in 2021 behind their young star quarterback, Joe Burrow. After being a bottom-five team in the league in 2020, the Bengals utilized their cap space and added several new free agents to the defensive side of the football.

The LA Chargers are very similar to the Bengals and could copy their approach

By the time the 2022 offseason is over, we might be looking at the Chargers' offseason and comparing it to the Bengals. The areas of need are almost identical and like the Bengals, the Chargers too could shockingly take a receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft.

When it was all said and done, the Bengals spent just under $37 million in 2021's cap space on new players last offseason. The Chargers have the potential to get up to $100 million in cap space, and after new contracts to the likes of Mike Williams, Kyzir White and others, the Chargers will likely have a bit more than that to spend in this free agency.

So what would free agency look like if the Chargers took the Bengals' blueprint and ran with it? Let's break it down.