Offseason: RFAs part 1

I already discussed the Chargers current UFA situation. Now things get really interesting. Here are the list of Free Agents to be (or not to be). These guys will be RFAs if a new CBA is not approved. This means that the Chargers will be able to put various tenders on them if they so choose.

ILB Tim Dobbins
DT Antonio Garay
C Eric Ghiaciuc
WR Malcom Floyd
OLB Marques Harris
WR Vincent Jackson
DL Travis Johnson
OT Marcus McNeill
OLB Shawne Merriman
LB Dontarrious Thomas
RB Darren Sproles
QB Charlie Whitehurst

In addition, Jeromy Clary is an RFA no matter what, and Tolbert and Applewhite will be exclusive rights free agents. I predict all three will be offered contracts, though that doesn't guarantee they survive training camp.

Wow. Quite a list. Lets start with the relatively easy ones:

Ghiacuic and Thomas are the lowest priority. I have no idea about their retention, but I wouldn't bet on it if all the injured players come back.

Harris is only slightly higher on the list. I doubt he's retained. Tucker and Applewhite are coming back, and I fell certain that AJ will be targeting yet another OLB in the draft.

Garay has a better chance, but with Jamal, Bingham and OG coming back there will be no room for him. Maybe they retain him through camp, but I don't see Bolts in his future.

Dobbins is an interesting case. As a good special teamer and decent backup linebacker, he's probably retained. Since he was a 5th round draft pick the Bolts might put a slightly higher tender on him, perhaps a 2nd round tender.

Travis Johnson is similar to Dobbins. There might not be room for him next year, but he did play reasonably well. He was a first rounder, so I suspect they'll put a low tender on him if they do retain him.

Whitehurst will get the lowest tender if retained, since no one is likely to give up a 3rd rounder for him. Hard to say what they'll do here. They must like the guy, but he's clearly not the QB of the future, and probably not even the backup of the future. Volek has only 1 year left on his contract, so they might let Charlie walk and try to draft another QB to groom as a future backup.

That's it for the "easy" guys. The other 5 are going to need their own post. As for these 7, I think AJ brings back 4 at most, assuming successful injury recoveries from all the guys who were out this year.