3 recent draft picks the Chargers gave up on way too soon
By Jason Reed
Chargers gave up on Zander Horvath too soon
Zander Horvath is another recent draft pick who was cut by the team before the end of his rookie contract. However, Horvath didn't last nearly as long with the Chargers as Reed did, as Horvath got just one season with the Bolts in 2022.
Selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, it looked like the Chargers landed a solid fullback that could be part of the roster for years. Horvath had a touchdown in each of his first two games with the Chargers and was a quality special teams player as well.
However, Kellen Moore's offense did not call for a fullback in 2023 and as a result, it simply became a numbers game with Horvath. The sophomore fullback did not make the roster despite doing everything right in his rookie year.
Fast forward to the 2024 offseason and the Chargers have to fill the void that Horvath left behind by signing Ben Mason. In the grand scheme of things, the difference between Mason and Horvath isn't huge and it is not going to change the ceiling of the team.
However, if the Chargers simply kept Horvath around they would not have had to waste a signing on a fullback to replace him, and they might have even had a better running game in 2023 as well.