In NFL free agency, Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith is a window shopper.
Methodical. Systematic. Deliberate. Never enticed by the red-tag sale.
The official start to the NFL calendar year began Thursday night, marked by the beginning of its annual shopping bonanza: free agency. Smith’s approach to free-agent shopping is to grab a basket, not a cart. He diligently waits for the embers to cool following the fire sale.
As is his custom this time of year, Smith spent more time taking care of his own players by resigning DT 
Smith also is very aware of popular opinion. He knows Charger fans would love to ink Mr. Glitz and Mr. Glamour to multi-year deals, but that's just not his style.
"I realize that,” Smith said of the fans’ interest in acquiring big-name players. "If you're really close to a championship and you go get that key guy..."
In Smith's mind, the Chargers are never merely one player away from a championship.
"If we felt that," he continued, “we would do that."
It's no secret Smith is not in the business of simply collecting talent. He wants and signs “football players”, not high-priced egos or household names with blinding disclaimers.
"We are always players in the free agency market," Smith said. "We're just not big players for the big-money guys. We let the dust settle a little bit. We always look for players that we think can help us. We're going to be active. I don't know how quickly someone will come in here, but we're going to be looking for some help depending on what is available.”
He knows exactly who, when and why a player will land at Chargers Park. And rest assured, Charger fans also will know in due time. There is no sense in trying to make sense of it now. Smith has a plan; always has a plan.
There's proof. Since Smith was named general manager in 2003, he has signed several solid, veteran free agents that made an immediate contribution for more than one season.
Acquired via free agency:
LB
LB Randal Godfrey
G Mike Goff
FB Lorenzo Neal
TE Kris Wilson
Acquired via trade:
WR Chris Chambers
TE
WR Keenan McCardell
T Roman Oben
Smith will be the first to admit free-agent shopping is an art, not a perfect science. Practically every team in the league becomes a victim of the revolving door that is free agency. Contracts expire. Players leave. Players get hurt. Teams move in different directions. That's the nature of the business. No team, Chargers included, is immune.
"People say a lot of things, but we make decisions in the best interest of our football team," Smith said. "We're going to try and get the best football players we can; the best on and off the field. This is a unique, different year that all teams are working their way through. It's just unchartered waters."
The free agent shopping mall is buzzing. A few teams have already shopped and taken their item(s) home and put them on display for divisional neighbors to see. Others are at the register, cashing in on what they hope will be the talk of their town. But a small few, Chargers included, are sifting through the sale racks with purpose.
There will be no buyer’s remorse for Smith.
