RM: This is a disappointing article with little to add.

https://www.si.com/nfl/chargers/news/chargers-free-agents-contract-projections-drue-tranquill-kyle-van-noy-morgan-fox

What Contract Projections Say About the Chargers' Key Free Agents

A look at the contract projections of the Chargers' top three free agents.

Nicholas Cothrel
19 minutes ago

The Chargers spent more money in free agency last offseason than any
other year under Tom Telesco's tenure with the club. But as the Chargers
turn the page to the 2023 season, they have some work on their hands to
remain aggressors in free agency.

The free agent period will kickoff on March 15 at 1 p.m. PT in which
contract talks will ramp up. After a signing frenzy just one year ago
that featured the Chargers landing cornerback J.C. Jackson, defensive
lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day and acquiring edge rusher Khalil Mack via
trade, the team will approach things in a different manner this time
around, particularly because of where they stand with the salary cap.

The Chargers are currently $20.3 million over the salary cap. But with
the spending threshold expected to raise, being set at a record $224.8
million per club, relief is coming the team's way, getting them closer
to being cap compliant.

Pro Football Focus released contract projections for their top 100 free
agents, which consists of three Chargers: linebacker Drue Tranquill,
edge rusher Kyle Van Noy and defensive lineman Morgan Fox.

Here's a breakdown of what each player’s contract projection says about
their ability to remain with the Chargers:

LB Drue Tranquill

Contract Projection: Two years, $8.5 million ($4.25M per year); $5
million total guaranteed

The signal-caller of the defense, Tranquill produced a career year
across nearly each statistical category. For a defense that had as many
as seven starters out with an injury at one point, Tranquill was the
glue that kept the unit together through the highs and lows.

As things pertain to his likelihood to return, the Chargers have already
shown their cards on how they truly value inside linebackers on the open
market. Last year, they allowed Kyzir White, the team's leading tackler
at the time, to walk in free agency for a 1-year, $3 million deal.

Perhaps Tranquill has more to offer, being the man in charge of relaying
the plays to the defense and being one of the top influential voices on
that side of the ball.

"The 2022 season was Tranquill’s first as a full-time starter following
Kyzir White's departure, and his 105 tackles were more than his first
three seasons combined," Pro Football Focus wrote. "Perhaps most
importantly in today’s NFL, Tranquill followed up his 74.6 coverage
grade in 2021 with a career-high 75.4 mark, with his 18 stops in
coverage a top-20 figure among off-ball linebackers. He also made the
absolute most of the occasional blitz, tallying 15 pressures, five sacks
and three more quarterback hits on 70 pass-rush snaps."

Tranquill expressed his interest in wanting to remain with the Chargers
the day after their 2022 season came to an end.

"This is the team that drafted me. That means a lot as a player, when
you can continue your career with the team that drafted you and believed
in you first," Tranquill said. "I sure hope to be back."

For Tranquill to be brought back, it would require the Chargers to
instill a change of philosophy in what will likely require handing an
inside linebacker a multi-year deal.

EDGE Kyle Van Noy

Contract Projection: Two years, $6.5 million ($3.25M per year); $4
million total guaranteed

Van Noy signed with the Chargers last offseason late into the signing
period, but his impact down the final stretch was pivotal. After a slow
start to the year, enduring a position change to edge rusher after
spending much of training camp at off-the-ball linebacker, Van Noy
collected his reps on the fly. The results didn't come right away, but
once he found his footing, there was no looking back.

Van Noy's first sack didn’t come until Week 14, but from that point on,
he recorded a sack in each of the final five regular season games.

His leadership qualities were also quite evident. While it doesn’t show
up on the stat sheet, his presence as a player who's played in many
primetime games, postseason battles and has won two Super Bowls with the
Patriots, served as a huge help for the Chargers during the second half
of their schedule.

"He greatly outperformed his one-year, $2.25 million pact with the Los
Angeles Chargers for 2022," Pro Football Focus wrote. The savvy veteran
has played both as a true off-ball linebacker and more near the line of
scrimmage rushing the passer in the past two seasons, offering a unique
and valuable skill set to potentially interested teams, with grades
above 60.0 in every facet in 2022. Van Noy recorded a pressure
percentage of right around 10% with at least five sacks in each of the
past four seasons, and his 82.1 coverage grade over the past two seasons
is fifth among linebackers."

The Chargers need depth at edge rusher, but based on the projected
contract that Van Noy will demand, and the team's salary cap situation,
they're likely to fill this need through the draft or signing a cheaper
free agent deal.

DL Morgan Fox

Contract Projection: Two years, $9 million ($4.5M per year); $5
million total guaranteed

Initially signed to bolster the depth of the defensive line group, Fox
emerged as a valuable starter following the season-ending knee injury to
Austin Johnson.

The interior of the defensive line saw three players ruled out for the
year with injury. That opened the door for Fox to receive a steady dose
of playing time, and he made the most of his opportunities in both the
run game and as a pass rusher.

Fox logged career-highs in sacks (6.5), quarterback hits (11), tackles
(38) and tackles for loss (8).

"Fox set career-high marks across the board as an interior pass-rusher
in 2022, earning a 70.6 pass-rush grade with 40 quarterback pressures on
an 11.2% pressure rate," Pro Football Focus wrote. "He fits the mold as
a pure pass-rusher — he has failed to eclipse 600 snaps in any season of
his career and has earned run-defense grades below 50.0 for four
consecutive seasons. He’s a late-down rotational player for obvious
passing situations, but a lot of teams will covet that skill set come
free agency."

With previous ties to Chargers coach Brandon Staley, having also played
for him as a member of the Rams during the 2020 season, Fox has shown he
can thrive in his defensive system. Fox's future with the club largely
hinges on whether or not the team is willing to allocate more resources
into the defensive line, which already carries a hefty price tag.