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Ridiculously Premature 53-man Roster and Salary Cap

Can't wait until the end of Training Camp to know the Chargers' final roster and cap space? Here is an educated guess.

USA TODAY Sports

Not enough has happened in the last month to justify a new State of the Salary Cap article. The Chargers are sitting steady at a little over $3.5 Million dollars in space to the Top 51 cap and won't likely make any significant changes before Draft Day. With that in mind, John Gennaro and I sat down to discuss who we thought would make the team, and how we expected the final 53-man roster to shape up.

Editorial Note: Anything you disagree with was John's choice. Please direct all your vitriol to him.

53-Man Roster and Salary Cap

Player Pos. Base Salary Signing Bonus Other Bonus Dead Money Cap Figure
Philip Rivers QB $13,800,000 $1,666,667 $1,200,000 $(4,533,334) $16,666,667
Eric Weddle S $7,500,000 $2,600,000 - $(5,200,000) $10,100,000
Antonio Gates TE $5,000,000 $762,500 $1,600,000 $(4,725,000) $7,362,500
Jeromey Clary G $4,550,000 $1,700,000 - $(1,700,000) $6,250,000
Nick Hardwick C $3,400,000 $1,750,000 $1,000,000 $(1,750,000) $6,150,000
Jarret Johnson OLB,LB $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $(3,000,000) $3,500,000
Eddie Royal WR $1,750,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000 $(5,000,000) $5,000,000
Mike Scifres P $3,250,000 $185,000 $600,000 $(2,170,000) $4,035,000
Malcom Floyd WR $2,750,000 $250,000 $916,667 $(5,083,333) $3,916,667
Dwight Freeney OLB,LB $1,625,000 $2,125,000 $93,750 $(1,625,000) $3,843,750
Ryan Mathews RB $1,978,250 $500,000 $1,133,750 $(3,267,500) $3,612,000
Donald Butler ILB,LB $750,000 $2,230,000 - $(11,150,000) $2,980,000
Corey Liuget DE $758,964 $1,136,954 $750,000 $(1,895,918) $2,645,918
D.J. Fluker RT,T $923,295 $1,668,183 - $(9,329,316) $2,591,478
King Dunlap LT,T $1,600,000 $475,000 $350,000 $(475,000) $2,425,000
Larry English OLB,LB $1,542,500 - $865,000 $(865,000) $2,407,500
Melvin Ingram OLB,LB $1,153,476 $1,136,952 - $(4,212,594) $2,290,428
Danny Woodhead RB $1,750,000 $500,000 - $(500,000) $2,250,000
Donald Brown RB $750,000 $1,083,333 - $(4,000,000) $1,833,333
Chad Rinehart G $750,000 $1,000,000 - $(2,000,000) $1,750,000
Nick Novak K $1,325,000 $375,000 - $(1,125,000) $1,700,000
Vincent Brown WR $1,431,000 $146,517 - $(146,517) $1,577,517
Rnd 1, Pick 25 $420,000 $1,081,280 $(4,325,119) $1,501,280
Marcus Gilchrist S $914,400 $344,200 - $(344,200) $1,258,600
Kellen Clemens QB $855,000 $322,500 - $(645,000) $1,177,500
Manti Te'o ILB,LB $640,110 $535,440 - $(2,246,430) $1,175,550
Darrell Stuckey S $730,000 $433,750 - $(1,735,000) $1,163,750
Kendall Reyes DE $765,272 $360,544 - $(721,090) $1,125,816
Sean Lissemore DT $1,000,000 - - - $1,000,000
Reggie Walker LB $730,000 $160,000 - $(160,000) $890,000
Mike Windt LS $730,000 $112,500 - $(337,500) $842,500
David Johnson TE $730,000 $110,000 - $(220,000) $840,000
Kavell Conner LB $730,000 $90,000 - $(270,000) $820,000
Shareece Wright CB $645,000 $136,035 - $(136,035) $781,035
Brandon Ghee CB $645,000 $115,000 - $(230,000) $760,000
Brandon Taylor S $570,000 $160,969 $7,500 $(321,938) $738,469
Rnd 2, Pick 25 $420,000 $265,848 $(1,063,393) $685,848
Ladarius Green TE $570,000 $112,725 - $(225,450) $682,725
Keenan Allen WR $495,000 $153,450 $10,000 $(460,350) $658,450
Andrew Gachkar ILB,LB $645,000 $11,475 - $(11,475) $656,475
Thomas Keiser OLB,LB $645,000 - - - $645,000
Rich Ohrnberger OG $730,000 $65,000 - $(65,000) $635,000
Mike Harris LT,T $570,000 $1,167 - $(1,167) $571,167
Richard Marshall CB $855,000 - - - $570,000
Lawrence Guy DE $570,000 - - - $570,000
Johnnie Troutman G $495,000 $47,938 - $(95,876) $542,938
Rnd 4, Pick 25 $420,000 $110,836 $(443,345) $530,836
Tourek Williams OLB,LB $495,000 $27,515 - $(82,545) $522,515
Brad Sorensen QB $495,000 $14,850 - $(44,550) $509,850
Jahleel Addae S $495,000 $1,667 - $(3,334) $496,667
Kwame Geathers DT $495,000 $1,000 - $(2,000) $496,000
Steve Williams CB $420,000 $48,200 - $(144,600) $468,200
Rnd 5, Pick 25 $420,000 $47,577 $(190,309) $467,577
Salary Total $118,671,505


Reserve/Injured

Player Pos. Base Salary Signing Bonus Other Bonus Dead Money Cap Figure
Rnd 3, Pick 25 $303,000 $145,009 $(580,036) $448,009


Practice Squad

Player Weeks Weekly Check Cap Figure
8 Players 17 Weeks $6,300 $856,800


Dead Money

Player Pos. Cap Figure
Jared Gaither T $4,000,000
Derek Cox CB $3,900,000
Robert Meachem WR $3,750,000
John Phillips TE $1,333,334
Le'Ron McClain FB $833,333
Jonas Mouton ILB,LB $218,340
Rnd 6, Pick 25 $105,420
Seyi Ajirotutu WR $65,000
Rnd 7, Pick 25 $52,693
David Molk C $27,976
Nick McDonald C $17,500
Dontrelle Inman WR $15,000
Nick Becton LT,T $5,000
Byron Jerideau DT $3,333
Michael Hill RB $3,333
Marcus Cromartie CB $3,333
Daniel Molls ILB,LB $3,333
Randy Richards RT,T $3,333
Cordarro Law OLB,LB $2,500
Josh Johnson CB $2,000
Devan Walker LB $2,000
Greg Brown CB $1,667
Chukky Okobi C $1,333
Ben Cotton TE $1,333
Brandon Moore DE $1,333
Luke Tasker WR $667
Frank Beltre OLB,LB $667
Richard Kent P $667
Jamarkus McFarland DE $667
David Rolf TE $667
Mike Hermann QB $667
SBs for cut UDFAs $15000
Total Dead Money $14,371,430


Available Cap Space

Cap Rollover $2,319,241
Cap Adjustment $(191,500)
Salary Cap $133,000,000
Chargers Cap $135,127,741
Total Cap Room $780,098

Notable cuts include John Phillips, Draft bust Jonas Mouton, Once-every-three-years darling Seyi Ajirotutu, and that 6th round pick that really had you scratching your head and clamoring for Telesco to resign. That leaves not much for cap space. Telesco will likely need to make a hard cut, or restructure someone. If only there was an ideal candidate. Say...a certain Tackle turned Guard making a little more than $6 Million this year.