In an offseason that feels like the Chargers need to nail, one area that they can’t lose sight of fixing is the offensive line specifically the interior. With various names being thrown around, one has emerged that could potentially be appealing in the short term for the team.
Even as the Chargers remain intent on finding a new offensive coordinator, chances are they are already thinking about options to fix their O-line woes. The Steelers could be a team they look at doing business with, specifically for the services of one Isaac Seumalo.
If you look at the Chargers’ issues this year, they came from players who they made hefty investments in. By signing Mekhi Becton, the Chargers were expecting the play of a Super Bowl champion. Instead, they got the play of a potential cut candidate. Because of this potential scenario, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz outlined a plan to acquire Seumalo’s services.
“The Chargers will blow their free agency budget on Steelers guard Isaac Seumalo. Despite turning 33 next season, he is still playing at a high level. Seumalo ranked second among all guards with a 96.9% pass block win rate this season” Schatz said.
Isaac Seumalo: A Short-Term Fix With High-End Stability
While Chargers fans may not be thrilled with Seumalo’s age, one cannot deny those stats, especially as he ranked 12th overall amongst guards according to Pro Football Focus out of 81 qualified players.
The main worry is that the Chargers could be getting another Becton all over again: a player who can play at a championship caliber but doesn’t deliver for your squad. Still, at the very least, the Chargers made it so that they could easily get out of Becton’s contract. With a player like Seumalo, chances are you have to further bolster and justify the signing in order for it to potentially pay dividends.
One scenario could see the Chargers investing most of their 100 millions dollars in cap space into Seumalo, and potentially drafting another player of high value to pair with Seumalo so the brunt of the money isn’t wholly felt. Someone like Penn State’s Olaivevega Ioane comes to mind.
Balancing Cap Space, Age, and Long-Term Line Building
Thinking about next year, a line consisting of Seumalo, Ioane, Zion Johnson returning on a new deal, and both bookend tackles returning would be a major boost from this year’s problems. While it would be no guarantee that it would, it seems to be a clear pathway to success that the Chargers wouldn’t mind investing in.
The first order of business is making the requisite cuts. For instance, not only Mekhi Becton, but Bradley Bozeman is on the chopping block for the Chargers If both players get cut, that would open up space for Seumalo.
According to Spetrac, the contract for Seumalo could actually be lower than expected, with projections at three years and 27.8 million dollars. This is entirely doable for a Chargers team with the most cap space in the NFL. Still, the Chargers may have to be willing to spend more to do so. For a player of Seumalo’s caliber, they might as well bite the bullet.
Chargers In Hunt to Take Gamble on Steelers O-Lineman