Updated Chargers cap space ahead of 2023 NFL Draft
By Jason Reed
It seems as if everything has paused around the LA Chargers as the 2023 NFL Draft looms. The team has not made any substantial moves since the first wave of free agency and even the speculation around Austin Ekeler has subsided in recent weeks.
The team is very obviously gearing up for the 2023 NFL Draft and will re-assess the situation once the draft concludes. Los Angeles has the 21st overall pick in the draft and has a selection in every single round so plenty of depth can be added.
That being said, the Chargers still have the means to add talent outside of the draft as well. The team won't be able to patch up all of the potential needs in the draft and may need to spend in free agency after the draft. Luckily, Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley have enough money to do just that.
Chargers salary cap space ahead of 2023 NFL Draft:
As it stands on the books, the Chargers have $14.79 million in cap space ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, according to Over The Cap. That does not mean that the Chargers have that much money to spend as there are other factors that must be considered.
The team still needs to pay for its 2023 draft class, which is projected to have just over a $3 million adjusted cap hit for the 2023 season. This would give the Chargers around $11.7 million in effective cap space to spend.
However, money also needs to be saved for the regular season in case the team wants to make any in-season moves. It is common for the Bolts to save around $3-4 million for in-season moves, leaving the team roughly $7.7-8.7 million in spending space.
This gives the Bolts enough money to sign 2-3 veteran signings after the draft if LA is unable to address certain positions in the draft. This was the approach last season as the Bolts signed Kyle Van Noy, Bryce Callahan and Morgan Fox after the draft.