3 free agents Chargers were wise to avoid

Chargers were wise to avoid Chidobe Awuzie

Another glaring hole on the defensive side of the ball for the Chargers heading into the offseason was cornerback. Michael Davis was one of the worst starting cornerbacks in the league last season and it was abundantly clear that the Bolts were not bringing him back.

The cornerback room consisted of Asante Samuel Jr, Deane Leonard and Ja'Sir Taylor as the three best options. Samuel is the only player of that group that has consistent starting experience and while he can have special moments, he is far from a perfect cornerback.

It was obvious heading into the offseason that the Chargers needed a cornerback and for that reason, Chidobe Awuzie was named as a potential target for the Bolts. Awuzie obviously didn't sign with LA, and instead signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Chargers were strapped for cash so this kind of contract would not have been possible until after the Keenan Allen trade. With a small enough cap hit in 2024, the Chargers absolutely could have done a contract like this for Awuzie if the team actually wanted to go after him.

It is a good thing that the Bolts didn't, though. That is a hefty price to pay for a cornerback who has been average at best in recent years. The Chargers did end up signing Kristian Fulton, who is not very good either, but he came at a much, much cheaper price.