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How the Chargers Are Approaching the Center Position After Bradley Bozeman's Retirement

BozemanCombine

The Chargers will be looking for a new center heading in 2026.

Bradley Bozeman, who had spent the last two seasons as the team's starting center, announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday after an eight-year career.

A 2018 sixth-round pick by Baltimore, he started 33 regular-season games for the Bolts over the last two years, including both playoff games.

Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz, who was also with the center in Baltimore, kicked off his Combine podium session in Indianapolis expressing his appreciation for Bozeman and his family in their next chapter.

"With Bradley, tremendous amount of respect for him and Nikki, his family," Hortiz said. "It's been fun to have him around for two years, obviously I was with him in Baltimore.

"The type of competitor, leader and just people they are in the community, to see what he did in Baltimore with his foundation and then carry it out to Carolina and bring it to L.A., just special stuff they're doing," Hortiz continued.

"Think the world of them, I know if he sees this, Coach Bozeman, both Coach Bozeman's I believe, I could see them both back home coaching high school and parting their beliefs and principles in young men and women," Hortiz added. "Tremendous amount of respect for them, appreciation for him and love for him and his family. Congrats to him in his retirement."

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As for what that means for the Chargers going forward, that will unfold over the next couple of weeks.

The only center under contract heading into the New League Year is Josh Kaltenberger, who signed a reserve/future contract at the end of the season, so there will certainly be additions whether it be through draft or free agency.

"We will try," Hortiz said of addressing in free agency.

The Bolts are currently projected to have around $88 million in cap space and also have five selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, including their own pick in each of the first four rounds.

It's something that Hortiz said will be a topic of discussion in the post-Combine meeting when the group gets back next week.

"Plan going forward, we've been discussing that," Hortiz said. "Got a new offensive staff, which leads to some scheme changes.

"We've been meeting, we'll get together again after the Combine and we'll have a plan to attack it once the open season opens," Hortiz added.

Of course, the Chargers new center will fall likely closer to the new offensive scheme.

The hiring of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel brings a change to the offense, including what type of personnel is brought in this offseason.

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Hortiz said the area where that will be the most different is along these same offensive trenches, likening it to another experience during his time in Baltimore.

"Yeah, the biggest [difference] is the offensive line," Hortiz said. "We went through it in Baltimore in 2014 when we hired Gary Kubiak. We went to the wide zone.

"So, the draft process when you do that, it kind of changes how you evaluate a player in the fall versus here in February and March.

There's a slight adjustment to the process, but Hortiz also noted it means possibly targeting offensive linemen with more athleticism.

"You have to understand there's going to be some players that move a little bit on your board because this guy in our old scheme may have fit better and doesn't as well now," Hortiz said. "Scouts can still evaluate for all positions. We've been doing it our whole career before Mike got here. This guy is more a zone-scheme fit so now that's being said in our report."

He later added: "More range. Guys who can get to the cutoffs blocks and get out in space."

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