Despite being over next season's salary cap, the LA Chargers made sure that they did not miss out on the start of the NFL tampering window on Monday. It took some time, but the Chargers made their first acquisition of the offseason by signing running back Gus Edwards to reunite with offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
That ended up being the first of three moves that were reported on Monday. Shortly after the Edwards deal, it was reported that the team was signing tight end Will Dissly as well as re-signing safety Alohi Gilman.
The two players have a combined average annual salary of just over $10.1 million. This is great value for two players who are going to play prominent roles for the Bolts next season. It isn't just great value, though, as there is an extra layer of genius in these signings that earn GM Joe Hortiz a round of applause.
Will Dissly and Alohi Gilman signings do not impact the Chargers' compensatory pick formula
Chargers fans learned very early on that Hortiz loves using compensatory picks to build out a roster. Every year, there are 100 compensatory picks handed out in the league that are based on free-agent activity. For example, the Charger received a seventh-round comp pick for Drue Tranquill.
These picks range from the third round to the seventh round and they depend on how much a player signs for, how much playing time that player gets and any accolades they win. This year's free-agent class will impact next year's draft.
The genius part about the Dissly and Gilman signings is the fact that neither counts toward this compensatory formula. Gilman is a retained free agent and Dissly was released by the Seahawks last week. Only non-released free agents who sign with new teams count towards the formula.
Edwards will count towards the formula but it might not hurt the Chargers. Los Angeles still has Gerald Everett and Austin Ekeler to potentially grant them comp picks next year. Edwards' deal likely won't be as high as either of those two players, which will allow the Chargers to get two extra picks in next year's draft class.
Not only did the Chargers sign the run-blocking tight end they so desperately needed as well as re-signed a key starter from last year's defense, but they did so while also keeping the future in mind. Hortiz is off to a great start as the captain of this Chargers front office.