Your Los Angeles Chargers have had to make some tough decisions this week already as they try to make payrolls work and put together a nice mix of young players to carry their future and veteran pieces that can oversee their development. They are in a unique position amongst other NFL teams as Justin Herbert's skillset has put them on an accelerated path to win-now mode once he took over the quarterback position.
Some prominent moves have already been made and LA's fanbase has been most receptive to the news that Austin Ekeler has been granted the right to speak to other teams he could potentially get traded to. Other players' contracts have not been picked up and will enter free agency including two fan favorites in Donald Parham and Breiden Fehoko.
The Chargers shared this news on Monday along with the announcement of them bringing back Easton Stick in their first free agency move.
Parham has proved to be a nice option at tight end in the past but his play was very limited in 2022 due to a hamstring injury and the Chargers were not able to scope him out enough to determine he'd have a key role in their plans moving forward. The 25-year-old only saw action in six games and recorded just 130 yards with one touchdown. His potential is all still there but he didn't get enough field time ahead of an important offseason.
As for Fehoko, the Chargers chose to not bring him back either after a season where he received more opportunities than usual. He suited up for nine matches and was able to fill in for a slew of injured players. Unfortunately, he was also subject to LA trying to save as much money as possible during this offseason. After just three years with the Bolts, he will now be entering the open market.
Even though fans haven't reacted too well to the front office parting ways with such young talent, it is important to remember that they are preparing themselves for when Herbert's time to get paid rolls around. He is rightfully so their number one priority and the franchise should look to put themselves in a solid position to retain him without letting their cap take a big hit.
More must-reads: