Chargers Secure Teair Tart With Three-Year Extension

The Los Angeles Chargers solidified a core piece of their interior defense by reaching a three-year agreement with defensive tackle Teair Tart. Multiple reports confirmed Monday that the deal is worth up to $37.5 million and includes $20 million guaranteed. Tart acknowledged the extension on social media with a “Bolt Up!” message before the team formally announced the signing.

Why Los Angeles Prioritized Tart

Tart’s rise in Los Angeles arrived at a critical moment for the franchise, following the departure of Poona Ford to the Rams in free agency and a thin defensive interior heading into last season. The Chargers attempted to bolster depth by drafting Jamaree Caldwell and signing Da’Shawn Hand, but Tart quickly emerged as their most impactful interior defender. He consistently disrupted run plays, finishing with 12 run stops according to TruMedia, a mark that ranked seventh league-wide. Caldwell finished next among Chargers defenders with nine.

His production extended beyond run defense. Tart started all 18 games this past season and delivered his strongest outing in the wild-card loss to New England, where he recorded a sack, two tackles for loss, four total tackles and tipped a pass that led to a Daiyan Henley interception. After signing with Los Angeles in August 2024 as a mid-camp addition, Tart has totaled 61 tackles, nine tackles for loss, one sack and an interception across two seasons with the team.

Roster and Coaching Implications for the Offseason

Tart’s return marks the first major domino in what projects to be a pivotal offseason for general manager Joe Hortiz. Los Angeles carries significant defensive decisions into free agency, including contracts for edge rushers Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack. Tuli Tuipulotu, who finished sixth in the league with 13.5 sacks in 2025, is also eligible for an extension as he enters the final year of his rookie deal in 2026. With 27 players approaching free agency, securing Tart provides early continuity for a unit that ranked among the league’s best over the past two seasons.

The organization is also undergoing schematic transition after defensive coordinator Jesse Minter departed to become the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach. Minter oversaw top-five finishes in scoring, total and pass defense during his stint with the Chargers, leaving a sizeable vacancy for coach Jim Harbaugh to fill on that side of the ball.

Chargers Continue Staff Reshaping

While the defensive coordinator search remains active, the Chargers made a major offensive hire on Monday by appointing former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator. The staff move signals Harbaugh’s intent to preserve structural stability while continuing the competitive build he has orchestrated since arriving in Los Angeles. The Chargers have posted back-to-back 11-6 campaigns and reached the postseason in each of Harbaugh’s first two years but exited both times in the wild-card round.

For Tart, the extension provides security after what would have been a trip to unrestricted free agency in March. For the Chargers, it solidifies a centerpiece in the trenches as they reshape one of the AFC’s most competitive rosters heading into 2026.

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