NFL free agency is right around the corner and there is a long list of players on the LA Chargers whose contracts are up this offseason. There is going to be a lot of roster turnover in Jim Harbaugh's first season, which naturally means that most of the impending free agents will sign elsewhere.
Where these free agents sign and how much they sign for does matter to the Chargers. Not only can the Chargers get compensatory picks depending on how much they sign for, but the Bolts may also have to prepare to play their former teammates next season and beyond.
While surveying the landscape of the league and what each individual free agent brings to the table, here are our predictions for where each Chargers free agent will sign. It is important to note, there is a longer list of practice squad-quality free agents who did not make the cut for this list.
Austin Ekeler: Chiefs
The Las Vegas Raiders seem like a reasonable destination for Austin Ekeler considering his ties to the front office and the fact that he now lives in Vegas. However, Tom Telesco didn't want to extend Ekeler in LA and he historically has not paid running backs after their first contract, so they may stay away.
Instead, Ekeler could head to another AFC West foe in the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City has the cap space to sign the third or fourth most-expensive back in free agency, who probably still wont be that big of a cost on a one-year deal.
Ekeler and Isiah Pacheco is a dangerous 1-2 combo as Pacheco can handle the bulk of the rushing game while Ekeler can give the best quarterback in the league one of the best pass-catching backs in the league.
It is a partnership that unfortunately makes way too much sense as Ekeler can improve his value to try and get one more multi-year deal while also contending for a Super Bowl.