Dalvin Tomlinson
Getty
Dalvin Tomlinson will play in the City of Angels
The Los Angeles Chargers continue to make moves in the 2026 free agency.
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reports that the Bolts have agreed to a deal with defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reveals that the defender will sign a one-year, $7.5 million deal, with $6 million guaranteed.
Tom Pelissero
Veteran DT Dalvin Tomlinson agreed to terms with the Chargers, per @_SportsTrust
Tomlinson was last with the Arizona Cardinals before being a cap cut casualty, saving the Cardinals around $9.5 million in cap space. The defensive tackle started every game of the 2025 season, logged a single sack and 26 total tackles.
Adding the D-lineman will give the Bolts a reliable player who will be on the gameday field, as Tomlinson has played 142 games in his career, starting all of them.
A threat down the middle of the field, Dalvin Tomlinson has recorded 20 sacks and over 350 tackles in his 9-year career.
The defensive tackle received a 43.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in the 2025 season, ranking him 120th out of 134 qualifying defensive interiors.
New Defensive Coordinator
LA Chargers
GettyLos Angeles Chargers made big changes to the coaching staff
The Los Angeles Chargers had two great defensive seasons with Jesse Minter as defensive coordinator. Minter left and became the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, leaving a gap in Jim Harbaugh’s coaching staff.
The organization brought in a familiar face in Chris O’Leary from Western Michigan, who was the safeties coach in Harbaugh’s first season back in the NFL.
With big shoes to fill, O’Leary lays the foundation for his first season with the Bolts.
“The two things we’re going to focus on, number one we’re going to elevate what we do well. The foundation of our defense, we’re going to elevate that,” O’Leary said at his introductory press conference. “The second thing we’re going to do is we’re going to evolve the defense. We’re going to add things, we’re going to tailor things to the players, the personnel that we have going into the season.”
“I just think there’s a lot of pieces we’re really going to be able to work with and develop their game. When I watched them, I had a similar feel to when I was here. It’s kind of the same guys just doing what they do.”
Chargers Remain Quiet Despite Large Cap Space
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh
GettyJim Harbaugh will enter his third season as the head coach of the LA Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers had one of the highest cap spaces for the 2026 free agency (around $90 million), but have remained somewhat quiet and have yet to make a big splash.
The most notable signing by the Bolts this offseason was retaining Khalil Mack on a one-year deal after the pass rusher was contemplating retirement after the team’s exit from the AFC Wildcard loss.
Reports at the beginning of the legal tampering period revealed that the Chargers were keeping tabs on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown.
It would be quite the haul for Brown if LA were to land the talented wide receiver, but they would have to take on his cap hit of $23.4 million.
With no major signings, it can only be possible that the Bolts are planning something major behind the scenes that would force them not to make much noise in free agency.