NFL free agency is on the horizon.
You can follow all of the Chargers news in our 2025 Free Agency Tracker.
In the meantime, here are five things you need to know about the Bolts ahead of free agency:
1. When does free agency start?
The NFL's 2025 New League Year begins Wednesday, March 12, at 1 p.m. (PT), which is when all teams must be compliant with the salary cap.
However, the NFL's legal tempering period begins Monday, March 10, at 9 a.m. (PT). This is when teams are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents on March 12.
2. Which Chargers players are free agents?
The Chargers currently have 28 players who are set to hit free agency next week.
The majority of those 28 players — 26 in all — are unrestricted free agents. These are players with four or more accrued seasons and an expired contract. They are free to negotiate and sign with any team.
This group is headlined by key names such as Khalil Mack, Poona Ford, J.K. Dobbins and Bradley Bozeman.
The Chargers also have two players — Foster Sarell and Stone Smartt — who are restricted free agents. These are players with three accrued seasons and an expired contract. RFAs are free to negotiate and sign with any team, but their original team can offer them one of various qualifying offers ("tenders") that come with the right of first refusal and/or draft-pick compensation.
Tucker Fisk, the team's lone exclusive rights free agent, was tendered on Wednesday. ERFAs are any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If his original team offers him a one-year contract at the league minimum (based on his credited seasons), the player cannot negotiate with other teams.
3. How much salary cap space do the Chargers have?
The Chargers are projected to have around $91 million in cap space as of March 6.
The Bolts were around $66 million before the release of Joey Bosa freed up an additional $25 million.
The NFL set the 2025 salary cap at $279.2 million, a higher number than the projected total of $272.5 million. The 2024 salary cap was $255.4 million, meaning the cap rose by nearly $24 million in the past year.
4. What moves have the Chargers already made?
The Chargers got a head start on free agency by extending safety Elijah Molden with a contract extension on February 20.
Molden and the Chargers were a perfect fit in 2024 after he was acquired via trade just before the start of the regular season. Molden set career highs with three interceptions, 75 total tackles, seven passes defended and two fumble recoveries.
His presence on the back end also allowed Derwin James to have an All-Pro season by playing closer to the line of scrimmage.
While the Chargers can sign any of their internal free agents at any time, other teams can contact the agents of those players beginning Monday at 9 a.m. (PT).
Keep track of all of the Chargers free agent moves here.
5. What are some positions to focus on?
Of the 29 Chargers players who are pending free agents, 14 are on offense while 14 are on defense. The final player is punter/holder J.K. Scott, who falls into a special teams category.
With that in mind, here are a few positions to keep an eye on based on the number of potential free agents at each spot.
Offensive line
The Bolts are set at tackle with Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, but the interior of the offensive line bears monitoring.
Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz said last week that guard Zion Johnson has been working at center this offseason. If the former first-round pick does indeed shift spots, that would open up a guard spot that needs to be filled in either free agency or the draft.
Bradley Bozeman, Brenden Jaimes, Sam Mustipher and Sarell are all pending free agents along the offensive line.
Defensive line
Poona Ford was one of the Bolts best defensive overall players in 2024 after signing a 1-year deal. But he will have a chance to test free agency again if the Chargers don't bring him back.
Fox has spent the past three seasons in powder blue and has been a dependable and consistent player. Tart, a training camp addition, flashed at times against both the run and the pass in 2024.
That's three of the Chargers top four defensive linemen from 2024 who may or may not be back with the Bolts next season.
Tight end
The Chargers ended the season with four tight ends on the active roster, and only Will Dissly is under contract for 2025.
There are questions around the other three as Hayden Hurst will be an UFA while Smartt is a RFA and Fisk is an EFRA.
Tight end was also a popular projection in the recent Chargers Mock Draft Tracker, but the Bolts might need to add pieces here to help fill out the room.
Wide receiver
Ladd McConkey was a star as a rookie, Quentin Johnston took a step forward in Year 2 and Derius Davis flashed as a receiver while continuing to be a special teams weapon.
Those three players are on the roster for 2025, as is 2024 seventh-round pick Brenden Rice.
Outside of them, Joshua Palmer didn't play in the playoffs due to injury and is set to be a free agent after he was a 2021 third-round pick. DJ Chark, a 2024 free agent addition, will also be a free agent after tallying just four catches this past season.
And depth pieces such as Jalen Reagor and Simi Fehoko, each of whom had bright moments in 2024, are also slated to hit free agency. This could be a key area to watch in order to get more weapons for Justin Herbert.
