Los Angeles Chargers

Which players should Chargers release?

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:07 a.m. ET

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Fansided, Matt Pagels/FanSided via Bolt Beat

The Los Angeles Chargers are tight against the cap going into the 2017 offseason. In order to free up some space, general manager Tom Telesco and Co. need to make a few cuts.

The 2017 salary cap is projected to rise to $168 million. The Chargers have just $113,693 in carryover money, which will be added to the salary cap amount at the start of the league year in March.

According to Spotrac.com, the Chargers are projected to have $25,486,350 in cap space (not including money set aside for 2017 rookies), which ranks 25th in the NFL (though ESPN NFL Insider John Clayton reported the Chargers have $17,554,850 in salary-cap space two weeks back).

Regardless, the Chargers need to cut some players who have underperformed in order to have some money to play with when free agency rolls through. We talked about which unrestricted and restricted free agents the Chargers should re-sign, so let’s take a look at which players should be released (no specific order).

LG Orlando Franklin

Meet Orlando Franklin. If you want to learn more about Franklin, look up the words “free-agent bust” in the dictionary, and that’s where you will find him. Franklin was a dominant lineman for the Denver Broncos who cashed out and signed a five-year, $36.5 million deal ($16.5 million guaranteed) with San Diego in the 2015 offseason. He’s the third-highest paid left guard…makes you cringe, doesn’t it?

Franklin was arguably the top guard on the market in 2015 free agency. He was supposed to be a versatile player who immediately upgraded the line. After missing just one game in his four-year career with the Broncos, Franklin, 29, has been beat up by injuries in two years with the Chargers. He missed six games a year ago, and even though he started every game this season, he was roughed up and played poorly, hence a team-worst 47.5 overall grade by Pro Football Focus.

Franklin will make $6 million in base salary and has a cap hit of $7.6 million in 2017. Unfortunately, the Chargers will lose $4.8 million in dead money and save only $2.8 million if they release Franklin this season, per Spotrac. If the Chargers reportedly cut him post-June 1, they would save $6 million while losing $1.6 million in dead money, per Overthecap.com.

All in all, would you really feel comfortable keeping a player with that kind of salary as a backup? Because keeping him in the starting lineup will eventually get quarterback Philip Rivers killed.

Nov 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers offensive guard D.J. Fluker (76) looks on during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

RG D.J. Fluker

Don’t get me wrong, I love D.J. Fluker’s work ethic and passion for the game, but he is the perfect example of why you don’t reach in the draft. The Chargers desperately needed a tackle and selected Fluker with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2013 draft. He was promising as a rookie, finishing with a positive grade when playing right tackle, but he’s been in decline ever since. He struggled at tackle in 2014, and a move to right guard, which has been his position over the last two seasons, hasn’t improved his play.

Fluker graded out as the second-best offensive lineman on the team with a 63.7 rating, which shows you how bad the unit was overall (31st-worst offensive line in the NFL). The soon-to-be 26-year-old will make $8.82 million in 2017 after the Chargers exercised his fifth-year option last offseason. The Chargers could save that money if they release Fluker before free agency starts.

Again, I like Fluker, but this should be a no-brainer. I am for bringing Fluker back on a cheaper one-year deal where he can compete at right guard/right tackle or be used as depth.

Nov 13, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers (24) in the field during the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

CB Brandon Flowers

Gone are the days when Brandon Flowers looked unbeatable in the secondary. Actually, let me rephrase that: Gone are the days when Flowers actually stayed on the field. Flowers, who originally joined the Chargers on a one-year deal in 2014, ended up being brought back after signing a four-year, $36.4 million deal in 2015. Unfortunately for him and the Chargers, he’s suffered way too many concussions over the past two seasons.

Flowers turns 31 in February. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the one-time Pro Bowler retires. The good thing is that the Chargers have two young, dominant corners in Jason Verrett (who needs to stay healthy) and Casey Hayward (who led the league with seven interceptions and made his first Pro Bowl in 2016).

Flowers will have a cap hit of $11 million in 2017, but cutting him would save around $9 million in cash and $7 million against the cap, per ESPN’s Eric Williams. The problem is that the Chargers don’t really have anybody else behind Verrett and Hayward. 2015 third-rounder Craig Mager and undrafted free agents Trevor Williams and Trovon Reed don’t inspire too much confidence as your No. 3 corner. If Flowers were to take a pay cut–and be willing to play football despite his concussion history–I’d consider keeping him on the roster in 2017. If not, then look for the Chargers to target a cornerback in the draft/free agency.

Nov 29, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; San Diego Chargers wide receiver Stevie Johnson (11) runs after catching a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third quarter at EverBank Field. The Chargers won 31-25. Mandatory Credit: Jim Steve-USA TODAY Sports

WR Stevie Johnson

Former Bills and 49ers receiver Stevie Johnson signed a three-year, $10.5 million deal in 2015. Johnson missed six games in 2015 as well as the entire 2016 regular season. He hasn’t played a full 16-game season since the 2012 season, and I wouldn’t put money on the 30-year-old doing that ever again.

The Chargers have a solid group of receivers that features No. 1 wideout Keenan Allen, 2016 free-agent acquisition Travis Benjamin and emerging receiver Tyrell Williams, a 2015 undrafted free agent who finished with 1,000 receiving yards in 2016 (crazy, right?). Dontrelle Inman, who had a solid season, is a restricted free agent and could be brought back on the cheap.

With that said, this position gets derailed by injuries more often than not, so the more receivers on the roster, the better. But I’d put more faith in a newborn baby not crying than Johnson staying healthy. Releasing him would save $3.5 million. If they decide to do so, finding a receiver in the draft could be the right solution.

Dec 18, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers tackle King Dunlap (77) walks off the field with assistance following an injury during the second quarter of the game against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

It’s quite obvious that majority of the offensive line has to be retooled. Veteran Matt Slausen, who was a great signing last offseason, proved to be the only decent player. Right tackle Joseph Barksdale signed a four-year, $22 million deal ($10.5 million) following a solid 2015 campaign, but he struggled badly in 2016. He got burned a lot and was penalized just as much (tied with OLB Melvin Ingram for the most penalties on the team). Despite his struggles, Barksdale isn’t going anywhere.

But what about 31-year-old King Dunlap?

According to San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee, the Chargers would save a combined $21.57 million in cash in 2017 should they release Dunlap, Franklin and Fluker. San Diego would free up $16.74 million in cap space, per Acee.

But the reason why I listed Franklin and Fluker and excluded Dunlap is because there is no depth at tackle. With Max Tuerk, Donavon Clark and Spencer Pulley on the roster, there are viable replacements at the guard/center positions. Not just that, but there are quality guards like Kevin Zeitler, Larry Warford and Ronald Leary, all of whom are 27 or younger, set to hit free agency (heck, even players like Brian Winters and Luke Joeckel are better than what the Chargers have). In comparison, the free-agent tackles aren’t so appealing.

As much as Dunlap failed to stay healthy, he’s the only option at this point, but that could change. Look for the Chargers to draft a tackle in the first two or three rounds in the draft.

Nov 13, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers defensive end Corey Liuget (94) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) during the second half at Qualcomm Stadium. Miami won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Moving on, defensive tackle Corey Liuget is a player who underperformed immensely in 2016. Before that, he’s been just average. Majority of fans were hoping that a partner-in-crime (a.k.a. rookie phenom Joey Bosa) would help relieve the pressure off of Liuget, but that hasn’t been the case.

I don’t think Liuget should get cut, especially with the lack of depth on the defensive line, but the Chargers should definitely consider restructuring his contract. He’s not playing up to the five-year, $51.25 million deal he signed in 2015. PFF gave Liuget, who failed to notch a sack on 495 pass rushes, a 49.3 overall grade, which was the lowest among the team’s defensive front seven.

With that said, Liuget, 26, could bounce back in new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s 4-3 scheme.

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