Chargers add 23 free agents

Monday, Apr 30, 2007
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

At the end of last season, the Bolts had 14 players on their 53-man roster that had originally joined the team as undrafted rookie free agents.  The Chargers have proven that undrafted rookie free agents will get their fair shot, and 22 hopefuls were added Monday. 

The Chargers agreed to terms with 22 undrafted rookie free agents on two-year contracts.  They also agreeded to terms with fullback Mike Warren, a former college teammate of Philip Rivers who spent last season on the Saints practice squad, on a one-year deal.

“I love creating competition,” Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith said.  “These guys come in here and work their tails off as they try to become professionals.  It makes everyone better, and has history has shown, we’ve found quite a few undrafted players make our team and help us win.”

A name familiar to San Diego sports fans tops the list of those signed by the Chargers Monday.  San Diego State defensive end Antwan Applewhite, who will move to outside linebacker in the Chargers’ 3-4 defense, had six sacks for the Aztecs last season.  Applewhite is joined by linebackers Nick Roach of Northwestern and Wake Forest’s Jyles Tucker. 

Joining the secondary is Baylor cornerback Anthony Airline, who started 21 games for Bill Bradley, the Chargers’ secondary coach and former Baylor defensive coordinator.  Cornerback Quinton Jones from Boise State joins Airline in the secondary as well as strong safety Tra Battle from Georgia and Miguel Merrick of Iowa.   

The Chargers chose not to draft any offensive linemen over the weekend but added three guards and a center as free agents.  Michigan’s Mark Bihl hopes to win a job backing up Nick Hardwick at center, while Iowa’s Mike Jones, Cal-Berkeley’s Erik Robertson and West Virginia’s Jeremy Sheffey will battle it out at guard. 

The free agent signees at wide receiver include Chad Schroeder from Texas A&M, Washington’s Sonny Shackelford and Jarrett Hicks of Texas Tech.  The Chargers also added three running backs in Eldra Buckley from Tennessee-Chattanooga, Reggie Merriweather of Clemson and Germaine Race from Pittsburg St. in Kansas. 

The Bolts’ defensive line will feature four new faces this spring and summer.  Defensive ends Andre Coleman from Albany, Barry Cryer of Nebraska and Eastern Washington’s Keith Grennan will join nose tackle Louis Leonard from Fresno State.

Rounding out the signings is Miami (Fl.) punter Brian Monroe.