The Los Angeles Chargers have a problem to deal with this offseason in extending Zion Johnson.
They declined his fifth-year option last offseason, only for Johnson to have a relatively solid 2025 campaign on an absolutely abysmal offensive line. Per Pro Football Focus, he was the 53rd-best guard by overall protection grade among all qualifying players at the position.
By no means is this level of performance worth the contract that Johnson will command. But with more obvious needs at center and right guard, it's an option Los Angeles must weigh simply for the sake of continuity.
In Matt Bowen's recent free agent rankings for ESPN, however, Johnson was linked as a potential target of the Las Vegas Raiders. If there's any team whose offensive line is in more dire straits than Los Angeles, it's Las Vegas.
But if they were to target Johnson, it would be simply another addition to the long list of former Chargers they've taken on, and it would be a laughable mistake.
Zion Johnson could be a solid option for the Chargers, but for the Raiders he would be a massive mistake
For the Chargers, the problem of re-signing Johnson comes down entirely to the resources they devote to the rest of the offensive line. In a vacuum, Johnson would be a viable franchise tag candidate, giving the organization another year to evaluate his performance before inking him long-term.
But the franchise tag for offensive linemen sits at nearly $28 million for 2026. This will likely prevent Los Angeles from utilizing the tag on Johnson, allowing him to enter unrestricted free agency.
The Raiders, meanwhile, are well-versed in the art of poaching disappointing players from the Chargers. Most recently, they took a swing on Jerry Tillery after he came off his rookie contract in Los Angeles.
Tillery played two seasons in Las Vegas, amassing just two sacks before being released in 2024.
In fairness, the Raiders desperately need to re-shape the entirety of their offensive line. They allowed 64 sacks in 2025, four more than the second-place Chargers. With a new quarterback in Fernando Mendoza coming in, the offense has a chance to make a major turnaround under head coach Klint Kubiak.
In that context, Johnson could be a worthwhile swing.
But Las Vegas also needs to replace essentially the entirety of their protection. Devoting a hefty contract number to Johnson could handicap their ability to do so. Moreover, Johnson is still relatively unproven as a reliable protector. If he were sandwiched between, say, Rashawn Slater and Tyler Linderbaum, these concerns could be mitigated.
Under an entirely new scheme and new offensive line, there's no guarantee his performance even reaches the mediocre heights it did in 2025.
For the Chargers, bringing Johnson back on a mid-level contract would simply be an acknowledgement of the reality they're facing. For Las Vegas, it would be another laughable swing on upside that, frankly, isn't there.