‘There’s nothing guaranteed’
They each had plenty to prove.
Poona Ford was effectively benched during the latter part of the 2023 season in Buffalo.
Kristian Fulton was cast aside by the Titans.
Bradley Bozeman was released midway through his contract.
And Troy Dye was ready to show he could be a solid contributor somewhere other than Minnesota.
The Chargers didn’t have a ton of cap space during the 2023 offseason, which forced Hortiz and the Bolts front office to be strategic with shorter-term deals.
“Guys have different stories whether they were dealing with injuries, didn’t play as well,” Fulton said. “Guys came in we were all looking to show we could make an impact in this league. And I think those guys really showed it.”
Bozeman added: “Anybody that came in here was ready to rock and roll. A 1-year deal, there’s nothing guaranteed. The end of your career could be tomorrow. You come in here on those kinds of deals and you want to fight and try to secure yourself a spot in the future.”
Overall, the Chargers signed more than a dozen players in free agency, nearly all of whom were on 1-year deals.
Fulton was a starter from the jump and provided solid cornerback play all season.
“Obviously last year wasn’t my greatest year, so coming here it was proving to myself and my team and to upstairs [the front office] that I can still play in this league, be a top guy in this league,” Fulton said.
Bozeman provided starting-level center play at a position that was crucial to Chargers Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman’s new scheme.
A season-long captain, Bozeman has been a steady leader for the Bolts in the trenches.
“Being released by Carolina one year into my deal there, you feel unwanted,” Bozeman said. “It’s a paper-thin league and there’s a lot of guys fighting for spots. There’s only 32 [starting] center spots.
“I came in here with a mission, for sure, to prove that I was one of the best 32,” Bozeman added. “That’s been my goal, and I think I’ve done that this year.”
Ford should garner All-Pro consideration for the way the defensive tackle played in 2024. He recently said his main focus upon arriving here was twofold: be adaptable and win.
“That’s kind of the mindset I try to have every season,” Ford said. “I don’t like losing, I’m pretty sure nobody else in the locker room does like losing.”
