The San Diego Chargers cut 12 players, placed three on the injured reserve list and another on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list to get down to the NFL-mandated 75 players by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. San Diego also acquired defensive end Joe Kruger (Eagles) through waivers.
Most significant move: Cornerback Brandon Ghee was signed in free agency as a player looking to revive his career after four injury-plagued seasons in Cincinnati. The Chargers signed the Wake Forest product to a two-year, $1.65 million deal, including a $230,000 signing bonus. At 6-foot and 200 pounds, Ghee was supposed to add size to San Diego’s secondary, but he never cracked the second unit on the depth chart, passed over by second-year pro Steve Williams and undrafted rookie free agent Chris Davis.
Flacco hangs on: Considered a developmental project, 27-year-old tight end Mike Flacco -- the younger brother of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco -- surprisingly remains on the roster. Raw and unpolished, the former minor league baseball player struggled with running precise routes and setting the edge in the run game. But lately he hasn’t looked like a deer in headlights, making a few plays during preseason action. Led by tight ends coach Pete Metzelaars and future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates, Flacco has some good mentors to learn from if he can stay with the organization as a member of the practice squad.
Chargers' moves: San Diego released 12 players -- OT Nick Becton, FB Zach Boren, TE Jake Byrne, WR Brelan Chancellor, LB Adrian Hamilton, WR Micah Hatfield, OL D.J. Johnson, TE Ryan Otten, CB Lowell Rose, P Chase Tenpenny, CB Brandon Ghee and RB Kerwynn Williams. The Chargers placed DT Kwame Geathers, DT Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe and CB Marcus Cromartie on the injured reserve list, and moved offensive lineman Jeromey Clary to the reserve physically unable to perform (PUP) list -- which means he will miss the first six games of the regular season.
