3 Chargers on their way to being cut barring a late-season turnaround

The LA Chargers pushed all their chips into the middle of the table before the 2023 season, which makes the team's current 5-7 record even more disappointing. Los Angeles is not statistically eliminated from the playoffs but the team should still be far better than it actually is.

As a result of the team's aggression for this season, the Chargers are currently projected to be $27.4 million over the salary cap next season. The Chargers need to not only get under that number but make enough room under that number to bring in a rookie draft class and make a small handful of cheap signings.

Thus, there are several players who are in line to be cut as cap casualties. Some players (like Khalil Mack) have made the Chargers' decision so hard because of how well he has played. Others have done the opposite and need a late-season resurgence to avoid being future cap casualties.

Sebastian Joseph-Day is on his way to being cut by the Chargers

Sebastian Joseph-Day was signed alongside Austin Johnson before the 2022 season to fix the historically bad Chargers run defense from the 2021 season. While the Chargers run defense has made big strides since then, it hasn't directly been because of Joseph-Day or Johnson.

Both players have had moments, but they have not been worth the money that the Chargers committed to them. Now, the Bolts have more promising, younger, players to turn to behind Joseph-Day and Johnson. With Johnson's contract expiring, the Chargers may end the experiment altogether and cut ties with SJD.

Cutting SJD would free up $7.5 million in cap space while only carrying a $2.5 dead cap hit. This seems like a no-brainer, and gets the Chargers into a much more manageable $19.9 million over the cap.