Where does JC Jackson rank among the 5 worst free-agent signings in Chargers history?

3. OT Bryan Bulaga (three-year, $30 million in 2020)

Bryan Bulaga and Gaither are similar signings when you consider what the team paid versus what the team got in terms of production. You could flip-flop the two selections and it really comes down to personal preference. The Bulaga signing definitely made more sense when it happened whereas it was impossible to spin the Gaither signing as a good one when it happened.

Gaither's downfall was predictable while Bulaga's injuries in LA were unfortunate. It was not necessarily the Chargers' fault that Bulaga did not work out but that doesn't mean that it was a good signing.

At the end of the day, Bulaga gets the nod as the Chargers were paying him almost twice as much per season to protect the new franchise quarterback. Bulaga was unable to do that and in his first year in the NFL, Justin Herbert was faced with extreme pressure that honestly should have derailed his NFL career.

Bulaga was in and out of his first season with the team, playing in 10 total games but not playing well in them because of his injuries. This carried over into his second season, where Bulaga would play the first half of Week 1 against the Washington Commanders.

The veteran tackle was taken out of the game at halftime and would not be seen again for the rest of the 2021 season, leaving Storm Norton to start at right tackle. The Chargers eventually released Bulaga before the 2022 season.