The Chargers have officially released Trai Turner (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Chargers were unable to find a suitable trade for the Pro Bowl guard. Instead, they’ll release him outright to save ~$11M against the salary cap.
The Chargers acquired Turner from the Panthers last year in exchange for sent Russell Okung. When the Bolts acquired him, Turner was hot off of five straight Pro Bowl appearances and just graded out as the No. 31-ranked guard in the league, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. Plus, there was the hope that he could get back to his best work. In 2015 – his coming-out party – he ranked as one of the game’s very best.
Turner was set enter the final season of the four-year, $45M pact he signed with the Panthers. The decorated blocker missed much of his Bolts debut season, playing in just nine games. He will join a host of talented offensive linemen available as cap casualties leading up to free agency, a list that includes longtime guard starters Kevin Zeitler and Gabe Jackson.
Featuring veteran-laden offensive line after last year’s free agency period, Los Angeles now has some key holes up front. Mike Pouncey‘s retirement and the Turner move will give the Chargers some work to do in free agency and the draft.
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