The Los Angeles Chargers extended tenders to a pair of restricted free agents on Wednesday. They placed a second-round tender on WR Tyrell Williams and a right of first refusal on DE Chris McCain.
Both players can sign with a new club, but the Chargers are entitled to a "right of first refusal" to match the offer. If they opt not to, they'll receive the draft choice compensation based on the amount of the qualifying offer. Should Williams or McCain sign the tender, they'll receive a salary predetermined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players.
Williams has emerged as one of the top deep threats in the NFL. Following a rookie campaign in which he didn't record a catch until the season finale, the 6-4, 205-pound wideout proved to be the Chargers' top weapon during his sophomore campaign in 2016. He became only the 15th player in Chargers history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards. Number 16 finished 2016 with 69 receptions for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns, including six catches of 40 yards or more that tied for the league lead. Williams was once again a force last season, leading all NFL WRs in yards after catch average (8.0), while posting multiple touchdowns over 75 yards. He finished 2017 with 43 catches for 728 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 16.9 yards per catch.
Meanwhile, McCain had a breakout season for the Bolts in 2017, emerging as an ideal complement to Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. He set career-highs across the board with 20 tackles, 5.0 sacks and one forced fumble. The 6-5, 236-pound McCain initially joined the Chargers as a member of the practice squad in 2016.
