There have been a lot of expensive signings that have not worked out in the LA Chargers' favor in recent years. Corey Linsley is not one of those signings.
The Chargers gave Linsley the largest contract for a center in NFL history back in 2021 and the results were instant. Linsley turned in another Pro Bowl season and was a key reason for the Chargers having their best offensive line of the last decade-plus.
Linsley's second season was marred by injuries as the veteran center only played seven games. His 2023 season ended up being even worse as he was sidelined for the entire year after just three weeks with a non-emergent heart issue.
It would not just be the end of Linsley's 2023 season but the end of his career as well. Linsley told reporters after the season that he was 99% sure that he was going to retire. A restructured contract with the Chargers all but made that official. And after Saturday, the Chargers will officially say goodbye to the All-Pro center.
Corey Linsley's retirement with the Chargers is about to be official
Linsley restructured his contract in good faith with the Chargers. By doing so, it gave the Chargers over $10 million in cap space to use for the 2024 season and also added a new wrinkle that would help the team in 2024 and beyond.
By restructuring his contract, the Chargers were able to smooth out Linsley's dead cap hit across two seasons as long as it happened after June 1. By doing this, the Chargers created a situation in which they will free up $1.3 million in cap space after Linsley's retirement.
That is why it has taken this long for there to be an official announcement. After June 1, the parties can make it official and the Chargers can free up that extra space that would not have been possible if it was not for Linsley's goodwill.
This is one of the most unfortunate early retirements in recent league history. Linsley was still playing at an elite level and could have put in several more years at a high level. Ultimately, his health is far more important than anything he would do on the football field, so he is hanging it up at the age of 32.