After a strong finish to the 2020 season, what is the salary cap situation for the Los Angeles Chargers entering the 2021 NFL league year? Let’s take a look at the Chargers’ salary cap situation, as well as which players they could release, restructure, or extend to create additional salary cap space in 2021.
The Chargers project to be around $31.5 million under the salary cap in 2021
As of March 2, the 2021 salary cap projects to be around $185 million. The Chargers will carry over $8.1 million in cap space to the 2021 season. Therefore, the Chargers’ current salary cap projects to be $193.1 million.
As it stands, the Chargers have just over $161.5 million in commitments to their top 51 highest-paid players, with an additional $58,009 in dead money. As such, the Chargers are currently around $31.5 million under the salary cap heading into 2021.
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To view the most up-to-date numbers for the Los Angeles Chargers’ salary cap space, check out our team by team 2021 salary cap space article, which is updated daily.
The Los Angeles Chargers have a handful of potential options for releasing players
The Chargers trek towards the 2021 league year with salary cap space to spare. Therefore, they do not need to make a number of moves. However, they do have options to create more wiggle room under the salary cap.
Could the Chargers move on from Mike Williams ahead of the 2021 league year?
Williams’ trajectory in Los Angeles has not gone entirely to plan. During his career, he has caught a mere 57 percent of his targets. He has topped 1,000 receiving yards just once and has a total of 2,516 receiving yards in four seasons.
In 2021, Williams will count $15.7 million against the Chargers’ salary cap. However, none of that money is guaranteed until the league year begins on March 17. Therefore, the Chargers could save all of that cap space in 2021 by releasing him ahead of the new league year.
Justin Jones and Kyzir White could both be released this offseason
If the Chargers want to free up a little more cap space, they could release both Justin Jones and Kyzir White. Each player will count $2.4 million against the Chargers’ salary cap in 2021. Releasing either of them could save $2.2 million on the 2021 books.
The Chargers have players they can extend or restructure to create cap space in 2021
What is more likely for the Chargers this offseason is determining the future direction of the team. Several players are due to enter the final year of their current contract. Additionally, the Chargers have a few contracts they could restructure to create more spending room in 2021.
The Chargers have big decisions to make on defense
The Chargers have six defensive players entering the final year of their current contract who they may consider extending. Both White and Jones are eligible to be extended in the final year of their rookie deals. The Chargers could potentially free up $1 million in cap space by extending them this offseason.
Derwin James, the Chargers’ first-round selection in 2018, is also entering the fourth year of his rookie deal. James is eligible for a fifth-year option, which would cost $9.6 million in 2022.
In 2021, James is due to count $3.9 million against the Chargers’ salary cap. Extending him could save around $1 million, although it is more likely his cap number remains the same or increases slightly with an extension.
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Cornerback Casey Hayward is due to count $11.8 million against the Chargers’ salary cap in 2021. At age 32, he is in the final year of his deal. An extension would save the Chargers a potential $6.9 million in salary cap space in 2021; releasing him would save $9.8 million.
The Chargers signed both Linval Joseph and Chris Harris Jr. to two-year deals in 2020 and are each entering the final year of their deals in 2021.
Harris is set to count $11.3 million against the Chargers’ 2021 salary cap, with Joseph’s figure at $11.9 million. Joseph played 70 percent of the Chargers’ snaps in 2020 and could be an extension candidate. Extending Joseph could save around $5.5 million in 2021, while an extension for Harris could save $5.1 million. Releasing Joseph and Harris would save $7.9 million and $7.5 million, respectively.
Trai Turner is a potential headache for the Chargers in 2021
Turner is certainly a talented option on the line, but his durability is questionable. He has not played a full 16-game season since 2016. As he enters the final season of his deal, he carries an $11.5 million number against the Chargers’ 2021 salary cap. Additionally, Los Angeles could save all of that if they outright release him; they could save $8.3 million with an extension.
The Chargers could move some money around if necessary
The Chargers have a number of candidates they could restructure if they wanted more salary cap space in 2021. Los Angeles could open up $10.2 million by restructuring Joey Bosa’s contract. They would be adding just $2.5 million to the remaining years of his deal.
A restructure of Keenan Allen’s deal could save the Chargers $9 million. Again, this would add just $3 million to the remaining years of his current contract.
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Right tackle Bryan Bulaga is set to count $11.1 million against the Chargers’ salary cap in 2021. The Chargers could flip around $3.3 million of that into 2022. However, that would put Bulaga’s cap number in 2022 up to $17.4 million.
If the Chargers wanted to open up around $2 million, Austin Ekeler’s deal is a potential option. The Chargers would free up $2.2 million in cap space in 2021 while adding just $1 million to each of the final two years.
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