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Chargers GM Joe Hortiz explains frugal free agency

April 16, 2026

EL SEGUNDO — Naturally, general manager Joe Hortiz couldn’t say Thursday who the Chargers would select with the 22nd pick in the NFL draft next Thursday. He also wouldn’t say which position he might address first after filling several roster vacancies during a rather ho-hum first wave of free agency last month.

However, he did address the burning question of why he didn’t spend more during free agency. He has received heavy criticism from near and far for not spending more money, given that the Chargers have plenty of salary cap space, roughly $48 million, as of Thursday.

“You target players that can help you,” Hortiz said. “You make smart investments and you build through the draft. We have players coming up that are going to be eating up a lot of that capital. Last year, we had a lot of capital and during the season we had $3 million left in capital.

“So, we have the flexibility post-draft to still be spenders, to still be trade participants. You know, it’s not like you walk into the grocery store and say, ‘Hey, I need an orange,’ and there’s a whole surplus of oranges. It’s free agency and there might only be one guy that fits what you need.

“It’s an auction, OK? Here’s the one (targeted free agent), so you set your value, so you set your price for him and there’s other bidders. You’ve got to be able to walk away and be disciplined. Otherwise, two years from now, you’re up against the cap and you can’t extend your young guys and you’re having to cut players. You just don’t want to get into that, you know?”

Free agency is not complete, Hortiz said.

Plus, he said he anticipated negotiations for contract extensions for safety Derwin James Jr. and outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu would intensify after the three-day draft is completed Saturday. He also said he remains open to re-signing veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen.

“Looking forward to that,” Hortiz said of his post-draft to-do list.

Hortiz acknowledged he would like to add draft picks through trades, if possible. The Chargers have picks in each of the first four rounds plus a sixth-round selection. They sent a fifth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for defensive end Odafe Oweh last season and a seventh-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for defensive back Elijah Molden two years ago.

“(But) it takes two to tango,” Hortiz said. “It takes two to dance.”

Hortiz also said he wouldn’t pick for need but rather select “the best available player” when it was his turn to pick. That’s been his standard operating procedure during his first two drafts with the Chargers after spending two-plus decades with the Ravens in a variety of roles.

However, he did say there were a few positions he wouldn’t consider drafting with the first of his five picks, including quarterback, kicker, punter and long snapper. After all, those are spots capably filled by, in order, Justin Herbert, Cameron Dicker, JK Scott and Josh Harris.

In addition, Hortiz said he expected Pro Bowl tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater to be sound enough to participate in some form or function during upcoming spring practices, the first of which is scheduled for Monday morning at the team’s El Segundo practice facility.

Alt (ankle) and Slater (knee) sustained season-ending injuries last season, throwing the makeup of the offensive line into chaos through the 2025 season, and shifting priorities during free agency and the draft into better protection for quarterback Justin Herbert.

“I look out the (office) window and he’s out there working, moving around and I feel good about it,” Hortiz said specifically of Slater, who had the more serious of the players’ injuries, a torn patella tendon suffered during a seemingly routine drill during training camp back in August.

“Now, if last year proved anything, it’s that you can never have too many tackles.”

Orange County Register

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Chargers GM Joe Hortiz explains frugal free agency

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