San Diego Chargers sign OLB/DE Dwight Freeney

The San Diego Chargers have signed the probable future Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney to a two-year deal. According to Mike Florio, the deal is for $8.75 million. The 33-year-old, seven-time Pro Bowler has spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts and the vast majority of his success has come as a defensive in a 43 alignment. He struggled at times last year as an outside linebacker in a 34, but he was also battling through a high ankle sprain in addition to the position change.

The Chargers defense primarily works out of a 34, but they give plenty of 43 looks and will likely do so more now that they have acquired arguably the top pass rusher left on the free agent market who just so happens to excel from a three point stance.

This signing was necessitated (inasmuch as it was necessary) by the injury earlier this week suffered by Melvin Ingram. Tom Telesco moved and moved quickly to plug that hole, first by signing Thomas Keiser and now Dwight Freeney.

Some fans will ask, "but how does he fit?" John Pagano will fit the defense to Freeney because Freeney is his only proven pass rusher and few things are as important as generating a pass rush.

Perhaps as important as the signing is the fact that it will almost certainly (depending on how the deal is structured) not leave enough cap room for the Chargers to sign a left tackle to compete with King Dunlap unless they restructure other deals.