How NFL’s expected $224.8M salary cap will impact the Chargers in 2023

The Los Angeles Chargers have some important decisions to make over the course of the next several months, and their salary cap numbers will have a huge impact on their financial mobility moving forward.

According to Sportrac’s numbers, the Chargers have contract commitments that put them about $20 million over the cap threshold ahead of the offseason, which will severely limit their ability to make enticing offers to free agents in March.

Heading into the final year of Justin Herbert’s rookie deal, this dearth of cap space could also keep the team from extending their phenom quarterback before the start of the 2023 regular season.

While there is plenty of money to be gained back by restructuring some of the more bloated contracts they have on their books, namely those of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, their situation relative to the cap is certainly less than ideal.

General manager Tom Telesco will need to reach deep into his bag of tricks to find ways to relieve some of the strain that currently characterizes the Chargers’ cap situation, and if he can’t it could affect Los Angeles’ ability to field a competitive team for years to come.