The Los Angeles Chargers have mostly played it safe with their signings in free agency so far.
When Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and the front office went out and got center Tyler Biadasz before the market even opened, it was a no-brainer of a move with minimal risk.
Ditto for the signing of fullback Alec Ingold, who is going to come in and be a resource about all things Mike McDaniel offenses while serving as a sledgehammer in front of Omarion Hampton on the ground.
Even the recent signing of running back Keaton Mitchell, while something of a smaller injury risk, is relatively safe: He’s an explosive weapon who won’t need a ton of snaps to have a big impact in a McDaniel offense.
It’s the signing of guard Cole Strange where one can really find some risky issues.
Chargers signing Cole Strange presents big risks
Miami Dolphins guard Cole Strange
Cole Strange | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Strange might be 27 years old with some hopeful upside and has the McDaniel connection going for him, sure.
But the fact Strange is a former first-round pick now on his fourth pro team already sort of raises a red flag of sorts.
Strange didn’t mesh in New England with the team that drafted him and was eventually released at final cuts in August of 2025. He latched on with the Cleveland Browns practice squad briefly, then got signed to the Miami Dolphins' active roster. With the Dolphins, he finished as the 58th-graded guard at PFF on a list of 81.
It’s not just Strange himself, but how his arrival shapes the Chargers' plans, too.
A two-year deal worth $13 million with $7 million guaranteed suggests the Chargers wouldn’t mind if he steals a starting job.
Will they treat the rest of free agency and the draft that way?
The Chargers need two new starting guards. Most of free agency seems dried up now, so are they going to sit out and do nothing else at the guard spots?
What about the draft? A Round 1 guard only potentially fixes one spot. And such an obvious need will be apparent to other teams, who could always say, jump in front of the Chargers to steal the top guards in Round 1.
This is blowing things slightly out of proportion a bit, sure. But for what has been a quiet-but-steady trip to free agency for the Chargers so far, there’s some clear risk with the Strange signing.
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