Chargers, Lions, Connected to Pro Bowl Free Agent

Offensive linemen might not be the most exciting free agent signings a team can make, but players like Kevin Zeitler can still help a team win. Despite playing in his age-34 season, Zietler is coming off one of the best seasons of his career and was one of the few consistent bright spots on the 2025 Tennessee Titans. Starting and appearing in 16 games, the Wisconsin product finished the season with an impressive 74.5 PFF grade, the 11th-best mark out of 79 eligible players.

Despite his successful season, Kevin Zeitler remains a free agent. However, that could change in the coming weeks. There aren’t enough good offensive linemen to go around, and Zeitler is easily the best on the open market. In a recent article, Bleacher Report‘s Kristopher Knox made his case for why the Lions and Chargers should pursue the veteran.

“Even at 36, Kevin Zeitler remains one of the NFL’s more reliable interior linemen,” Knox writes. “He started in all 16 games in which he appeared with the Titans this past season, and he played 92 percent of the offensive snaps in those contests.”

Lions, Chargers Connected to Free Agent Kevin Zeitler

Kevin Zeitler would be a great fit with the Detroit Lions, as he previously played under Dan Campbell. While he was only there for one season, the former first-round pick had a remarkably strong season in Detroit. Starting and appearing in 16 games, Zeitler finished the 2024 season with an elite 86.5 PFF grade while helping Detroit finish the year with an impressive 15-2 record.

Zeitler left the Lions after one season, and it’s no coincidence that his depature aligned with quarterback Jared Goff taking a step back. The former first-overall pick had a decent season, but he took more sacks than in previous campaigns. Goff is a fine starter, but he’s not the type of quarterback who can consistently win games without a strong supporting cast. Zeitler will make life easier for Goff and could help the Lions return to the playoffs following a disappointing 2025.

Fixing the Trenches

The Los Angeles Chargers had the league’s worst offensive line last year, and it wasn’t particularly close. While injuries to starting tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater can be chalked up to bad luck, the interior offensive line was an outright disaster from Day 1. Mekhi Becton, Bradley Bozeman, and Zion Johnson were all among the worst in the league at their respective positions, and none of them will return in 2026. While the team already replaced Bozeman and Johnson, they still need to find a right guard.

Quite frankly, Kevin Zeitler is the perfect free agent for the job. The Chargers made the postseason in each of the past two seasons, but they must do something to finally win a playoff game. Head coach Jim Harbaugh loves to win games in the trenches, and the Chargers have more than enough salary cap space to sign a good guard like Zeitler to a short-term contract. Securing the offensive line should help the Chargers win one of the most competitive divisions in football.