While the Giants, Jaguars and Raiders were lavish spenders on the opening day of free agency, the San Diego Chargers were prudent, honing in on players that did not break the bank and filled specific needs.
San Diego kept key players like tight end Antonio Gates (two years, $12 million) and offensive lineman Joe Barksdale (four years, $22 million) at reasonable prices.
And the Chargers also brought in players that filled obvious holes, inking speedy wide receiver Travis Benjamin to a four-year, $24 million contract; signing run-stuffer Brandon Mebane to a three-year, $13.