Several LA Chargers free agents have already re-signed with the team; some have left for greener pastures in free agency. Some might be staring their football mortality right in the face. Tight end Will Dissly is the biggest example.
The veteran tight end was released by the Chargers prior to the start of free agency to give the team more cap space. Dissly was initially signed as a blocking tight end and quickly watched his role diminish throughout the 2025 season.
Dissly played his way out of the tight end rotation while rookie Oronde Gadsden II played his way into being the starter. With no reported deal in the first wave of free agency this week, it's worth questioning if any team will bring Dissly in this offseason.
The NFL could force Will Dissly into retirement after being released by the Chargers
Dissly populates the bottom of the tight end market as he won't break the bank for any interested team that wants to sign him. The fact that he hasn't signed to this point despite his market being so cheap is concerning for his future in the league.
Plus, as someone who was released, Dissly does not count toward the compensatory pick formula for the 2027 NFL Draft. That, on paper, would help Dissly be signed. The fact he hasn't yet should be a bit of a red flag.
There is so much tight end talent in the league and while a one-year deal near the league minimum won't bankrupt anyone, teams are much better off taking a chance on a young tight end than giving Dissly a spot. At this point, everyone knows what Dissly is and where his shortcomings are. The mystery of what is behind door No. 2 with a rookie tight end is much more intriguing.
Dissly will be on the wrong side of 30, turning 30 in June, and we have seen tight end careers end abruptly like this in the past. Heck, former Charger Gerald Everett saw a similar fate when he was released by the Chicago Bears last offseason and just never signed with an NFL team.
But that's simply the circle of life in the NFL. It's a demanding league where the bar continues to rise and players get pushed out much quicker than they would in other sports. Dissly had the chance to fight that circle of life in 2025 and failed to do so. As a result, his NFL career very well could be approaching its end.