The Chargers had a FANTASTIC draft, and free agent signing period. However, there were so many holes on the roster from the TT/Staley regime that a few holes – primarily at the practice squad level – still need to be addressed. This is the first in a short series dealing with positions on the Chargers that still might need addressing prior to the official opening of camp at the end of July.

It is important to note that the Chargers are sitting at #5 on the waiver wire. This will carry through the roster cuts at the end of preseason, so players the 27 teams that are "higher" on the waiver wire are trying to move to their practice squad are also eligible to be signed by the Chargers for THEIR practice squad.

Corey Linsley will likely retire over the next week or two. There is a league-wide shortage of good centers. At present, the Chargers have one starting center on the roster – Brad Bozeman – and Brenden Jaimes has only one more year left on his contract as the #2 or #3 option at this position. Bozeman has size and toughness on his side; but on the negative side is his limited mobility and short arm length. Jaimes did well at the end of last season as an emergency #3 center. RAS = Relative Athletic Score; TEF = Trench Explosion Factor

BRAD BOZEMAN Age 29	6’5" 325 lbs.	Arms 31-1/4"	TEF 2.73	RAS 1.19
Alabama	2018 rd. 6	Bench: 27 reps	96 Games; 77 Starts	2024: $1.1 M for LA Chargers
BRENDEN JAIMES Age 25	6’5" 300 lbs.	Arms 32-5/8"	TEF 3.06	RAS 8.54
Nebraska	2021 rd. 5	Bench: 25 reps	37 Games; 3 Starts	2024: $1.1 M for LA Chargers

This reader performed a metrics-based analysis of the available options that can still be signed as free agents as young centers, focusing on free agents from the last 6 draft years (2018-2024). The list of remaining available free agent centers is incredibly short! Results are shown below, with a Summary. Ranked in descending order from the metrics:

CONNOR WILLIAMS Age 26	6’5" 312 lbs.	Arms 33"	TEF 3.21	RAS 9.15
Texas	2018 round 2	Bench: 26 reps	83 Games; 77 Starts	2023: $6.5 M for Miami
MASON COLE Age 28	6’5" 300 lbs.	Arms 32-1/8"	TEF 2.65	RAS 5.24
Michigan	2018 round 3	Bench: 23 reps	94 Games; 73 Starts	2023: $5.2 M for Steelers
SCOTT QUESSENBERRY Age 29	6’3" 310 lbs.	Arms 31-3/4"	TEF 3.13	RAS 9.18
UCLA	2018 round 5	Bench: 25 reps	79 Games; 26 Starts	2023: $1.8 M for Houston
NICK GATES Age 28	6’5" 312 lbs.	Arms 32"	TEF 2.19	RAS 3.17
Nebraska	2018 UDFA	Bench: 20 reps	57 Games; 39 Starts	2023: $5.5 M for Washington
J.C. HASSENAUER Age 28	6’2" 300 lbs.	Arms 32-5/8"	TEF 2.74	RAS 4.92
Alabama	2018 UDFA	Bench: 28 reps	45 Games; 7 Starts	2023: $1.0 M for NY Giants
CAMERON TOM Age 28	6’4" 300 lbs.	Arms 33-5/8"	TEF 3.17	RAS 8.68
Southern Mississippi	2017 UDFA	Bench: 23 reps	14 Games; 1 Start	2023: $1.0 M for Chargers

Williams is the best of the lot, but suffered a season-ending ACL tear on December 12, 2023, which explains why he has not been signed by any team yet. Mason Cole was released by the Steelers in March as a cost-cutting move. He was – adequate – during his time in Pittsburgh. His TEF and RAS show that he has used athleticism over power during his time in the NFL. Quessenberry is a former Chargers draft pick out of UCLA that has played the last several seasons at Houston; he has vice grips for hands and very good athleticism. Nick Gates has limited power and poor athleticism. Hassenauer is undersized but extremely powerful, and has crafted a career as a backup center out of it. Cameron Tom is athletic, and finished the 2023 season on the Chargers’ 53-man roster.

SUMMARY: There is no replacement for a player like Linsley. Assuming that Connor Williams is still injured, the best available players to bring in as a center replacement would be Mason Cole or UCLA’s Scott Quessenberry. Both should be available at reasonable contracts.

PRACTICE SQUAD LEVEL CENTERS – The Chargers currently have two players on the roster competing for a practice squad center job. These are Brent Laing and Bucky Williams. Are either of these players developmental projects for the future?

BRENT LAING Age 25	6’3" 304 lbs.	Arms 32-3/8"	TEF 2.65	RAS 5.94
Minnesota-Duluth	2023 UDFA	Bench: 24 reps	0 NFL Games	2024: $795 k for Chargers
BUCKY WILLIAMS Age 24	6’2" 300 lbs.	Arms 31-3/4"	TEF NA	RAS 6.84
Appalachian State	2024 UDFA	Bench: DNP	0 NFL Games	2024: $795 k for Chargers

Laing played center up through his junior year in high school, but did not play it in college. (He played right guard and right tackle.) He was invited to the East-West Shrine game, and asked to play center there. His results showed unfamiliarity with the position. Williams is undersized and has arm length issues that will challenge him in the NFL. With this in mind, evaluation of three different categories of centers was performed by this reader – free agents currently available, free agents that will become available at the conclusion of the UFL season, and free agents that will likely be waived by teams at the end of preseason (due to not making their team’s 53-man roster). Here are the results.

2 young practice squad level free agents that are currently available.

KODY RUSSEY Age 26	6’2" 300 lbs.	Arms 32-1/4"	TEF 3.40	RAS 8.75
Louisiana Tech/Houston	2022 UDFA	Bench: 38 reps	3 Game-day elevations by Patriots	2023: $795 for Patriots practice squad
DAWSON DEATON Age 25	6’5" 306 lbs.	Arms 32-7/8"	TEF 2.85	RAS 9.71
Texas Tech	2022 rd. 7	Bench: 24 reps	0 NFL Games	2023: $935 k for Cleveland

Russey was on the Patriots practice squad in 2022 and 2023, with 3 game day elevations over that time. He is extremely strong and was a team captain at both Louisiana Tech and Houston. Deaton was drafted by the Browns in 2022, but then the injuries hit in both 2022 and 2023 camps.

The UFL season is almost over. Here are the top centers available from that league.

MIKE PANASIUK Age 26	6’3" 300 lbs.	Arms NA	TEF NA	RAS NA
Michigan State (as a DT)	2020 UDFA	Bench: 30 reps	XFL Center of Year 2023	UFL Center of Year 2024
DOHNOVAN WEST Age 23	6’4" 310 lbs.	Arms 33"	TEF 2.83	RAS 6.89
Arizona State	2022 UDFA	Bench: 21 reps	2023 Starting center for Vegas	2024 same team as Panasiuk (St. Louis)
ALEC LINDSTROM Age 25	6’3" 300 lbs.	Arms 32-5/8"	TEF 2.97	RAS 8.23
Boston College	2022 UDFA	Bench: 25 reps	1 Game day elevation for Dallas	2024 UFL Memphis
COHL CABRAL Age 26	6’5" 300 lbs.	Arms 32-1/4"	TEF NA	RAS NA
Arizona State	2020 UDFA	Bench: 20 reps		2024 UFL Michigan

Panasiuk was a nose tackle for Michigan State, went undrafted in the 2020 draft, and was signed by the Raiders as an UDFA. In 2021, the Panthers converted him to a center. In 2023 he was the XFL Center of the Year, and received an invite to the Steelers camp. He is following the same path in 2024 in the UFL. Dohnovan West was the youngest (age 20) offensive lineman in the 2022 draft. After playing for the 49ers in 2022, he started for XFL Vegas in 2023, and is also with UFL St. Louis in 2024. He is certainly bigger than when he came out in 2022, and is younger than both of the Chargers’ current candidates. Lindstrom spent two seasons on the Cowboys practice squad, and is playing this Spring in the UFL.

There will be centers released by teams at the end of August due to not making their team’s 53-man roster. Here are the top 15 likely cut candidates (including 2024 round 7 picks), ranked based on their metrics (TEF, RAS, size, arm length, technique)

KEITH ISMAEL – Age 25	6’3" 309 lbs.	Arms 32-1/4"	TEF NA	RAS 7.09
San Diego State	2020 round 5	Bench: DNP	31 NFL Games; 5 Starts	2024: $1.1 M for Arizona
NICK GARGIULO Age 23	6’5" 310 lbs.	Arms 33-7/8"	TEF 2.92	RAS 9.38
South Carolina	2024 round 7	Bench: 28 reps	Denver 2024 rd. 7	2024: $814 k for Denver
BEN BROWN Age 26	6’5" 313 lbs.	Arms 34-3/8"	TEF NA	RAS NA
Mississippi	2022 UDFA	Bench: DNP	1 NFL Game	2024: $916 k for Raiders
JACK ANDERSON Age 25	6’4" 315 lbs.	Arms: 31-7/8"	TEF 2.88	RAS 8.58
Texas Tech	2021 round 7	Bench: 27 reps	15 NFL Games; 3 Starts	2024: $1.0 M for Colts
MATT LEE Age 22	6’4" 295 lbs.	Arms: 32-1/8"	TEF NA	RAS 9.86
Miami (FL)	2024 round 7	Bench: 25 reps	Bengals 2024 rd. 7	2024: $820 k for Bengals
KINGSLEY EGUAKUN Age 23	6’4" 304 lbs.	Arms: 32-1/2"	TEF 3.05	RAS 9.09
Florida	2024 UDFA	Bench: 26 reps		2024: $801 k for Detroit
JALEN SUNDELL Age 23	6’5" 301 lbs.	Arms: 33-1/8"	TEF 2.89	RAS 9.33
North Dakota State	2024 UDFA	Bench: 26 reps		2024: $795 k for Browns
AVERY JONES – Age 23	6’4" 307 lbs.	Arms: 32-1/4"	TEF 3.18	RAS 6.96
Auburn/E. Carolina	2024 UDFA	Bench: 33 reps		2024: $795 k with Tampa
BRYAN HUDSON – Age 23	6’5" 305 lbs.	Arms: 32-3/4"	TEF NA	RAS 9.06
Louisville	2024 UDFA	Bench: DNP		2024: $798 k for Detroit
ANDREW MEYER Age 22	6’3" 302 lbs.	Arms: 32-5/8"	TEF 3.36	RAS 8.56
Texas – El Paso	2024 UDFA	Bench: 28 reps		2024: $795 k for Miami
MICHAEL JURGENS – Age 24	6’4" 311 lbs.	Arms: 32"	TEF 2.87	RAS 7.62
Wake Forest	2024 round 7	Bench: 22 reps	Vikings 2024 rd. 7	2024: $822 k for Vikings
DRAKE NUGENT – Age 23	6’2" 301 lbs.	Arms: 33"	TEF 2.72	RAS 6.95
Michigan	2024 UDFA	Bench: 25 reps		2024: $797 k for SF
DARRYL WILLIAMS Age 26	6’2" 304 lbs.	Arms: 32-1/8"	TEF 2.60	RAS 5.35
Mississippi State	2020 UDFA	Bench: 23 reps	1 NFL Game	2024: $795 k for Jax
JAKE HANSON Age 27	6’4" 296 lbs.	Arms: 32-3/4"	TEF NA	RAS 3.72
Oregon	2020 rd. 6	Bench: 33 reps	18 NFL Games; 5 Starts	2024: $1.1 M for Jets
BRIASON MAYS Age 23	6’4" 298 lbs.	Arms: 33-5/8"	TEF 2.98	RAS 9.13
Southern Mississippi	2024 UDFA	Bench: 22 reps		2024: $798 k with SF

As can be seen, there is some interesting talent here…hopefully the Chargers front office is already evaluating these in comparison to Laing and Williams. Ismael may be retained by Arizona as their practice squad center since Arizona is lower on the waiver wire. Gargiulo and Matt Lee were drafted in the 7th rounds by Denver and Cincinnati, respectively, but are not locks to make the 53-man roster. Ben Brown was injured (triceps) prior to the 2022 draft, which hurt his draft stock, but would make a solid practice squad center due to his size and vice grip hands. Detroit stocked up on UDFA centers (3 of them!) after the 2024 draft, so Eguakun or Hudson (or Duke Clemens from UCLA) WILL be available. Jack Anderson has bounced around a bit since joining the league in 2021, but has NFL starting experience. Jalen Sundell and Avery Jones should also be available. Sundell has tackle as well as center experience but needs to add some weight; while Jones is extremely strong but has lower mobility.

To summarize, there is still time to address the center position at both the 53-man roster as well as developmental practice squad level, but the options will require careful evaluation by the new coaching and front office regime. This reader suspects there will be at least one addition at this position prior to camp opening in July.