Five Los Angeles Chargers Who Won't Be Back in 2024

Kenneth Murray Jr.

Murray Jr. was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft and hasn't come close to living up to the billing. The former Oklahoma star was supposed to be a sideline-to-sideline combo 'backer, the sort of versatile leader an elite defense needs in the middle. Instead he couldn't cover anybody in the passing game and was bad defending the run. Murray was given a terrible grade of 52.9 by PFF and will be hitting free agency next month after Los Angeles neglected to pick up his fifth-year option last summer. There is absolutely no chance he returns.

When a team doesn't pick up the fifth-year option for a former first-round pick, it means they need to have a massive year in order to get the team to even think about offering them another deal. Murray did not have that. He racked up a high tackle count but all of his most glaring issues persisted. He could make for decent depth somewhere, but not in Los Angeles. There's a new regime in town that wants to wash away the stink of mistakes made by its predecessors and unfortunately for Murray he qualifies as such. He will not be back.