Chargers News: Bolts Could Lose As Many As 20 Players In Free Agency

There will be a lot of restructuring happening this offseason.

A miserable 63-21 loss to the Oakland Raiders has led to the firing of head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco.

Out the door with them will likely include a number of current Chargers, including the likes of Austin Ekeler, Kenneth Murray, and Michael Davis.

Gavino Borquez of Chargers Wire writes that 20 Bolts are set to enter free agency, with Easton Stick, Josh Kelley, and Alohi Gilman, among others joining the aforementioned group of longtime starters.

Players like Stick and Gilman can be retained at low cost, but Michael Davis has previously been benched, while Austin Ekeler has expressed some discontent with the team and organization.

Combining the team's upcoming free agency along with potential cap benefits that would come from cutting players like Joey Bosa/Khalil Mack, and suddenly, the Bolts may possess almost an entirely new defense.

Outside of rookie Tuli Tuipulotu, no defensive player has been highly productive whilst on a team-friendly contract, opening the door to a mass exodus of defensive players.

Offensively, expect the Bolts to spend a mid-to-late round pick on a running back to replace Austin Ekeler, as given his age, mileage, and clear slowdown, the odds that the team offers him another contract are low.

It's also fair to assume that some of the offensive line depth that's set to enter free agency (Will Clapp, Cameron Tom) could also be retained, as continuity on an offensive line is beneficial as it pertains to knowing schemes, cadences, and quarterback tendencies.

In general, however, the Bolts could very easily (and may have no choice but to) have the most active offseason in the NFL. No more than a few players in total are safe, as besides Justin Herbert, (likely) Keenan Allen, Rashawn Slater, and Tuli Tuipulotu, there's no reason to incorporate any other pieces into the Bolts' future. Let's see what the new GM/coaching staff has in store.