The Chargers have reportedly declined to pick up the 5th-year option of OG Zion Johnson, the team’s first-round pick in 2021.
Thursday held the deadline for NFL teams to either pick up or decline the fifth-year options for their first-round selections from the 2022 NFL Draft. When it came to the Chargers, reports came out Thursday evening that the team will not be picking up the fifth-year option on offensive guard Zion Johnson.
#Chargers did not exercise OL Zion Johnson’s fifth-year option, per source.
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) May 2, 2025
Johnson was selected 17th overall in that draft out of Boston College. He played for the Golden Eagles from 2019-2021 following his first two collegiate seasons with the Davidson Wildcats, an FCS program in the Pioneer Football League.
After being named a First-Team All-American in 2021, the Bolts selected Johnson — viewed as one of the safest offensive line prospects in the draft class — to further build the wall in front of Justin Herbert. He has since gone on to start 49 games across both guard spots. In 2024, Johnson had his best season per Pro Football Focus with a season grade of 64.4. However, that’s still a fairly average grade overall and his most recent performance in the wild card loss to the Texans continues to linger in the minds of fans.
In that game, Johnson let up two sacks — the second such game of the season — as he ended with a pass block efficiency grade of 91.6, the second-worst of any game all year. Johnson, along with the rest of the interior blockers, could not handle the stunts and games run by Houston’s pass rush and it ultimately led to a four-pick game from Herbert who was forced into playing hero ball fairly early.
This offseason, the Chargers signed former Eagles right guard Mekhi Becton to start at the same position. They also signed former Raiders center Andre James who will compete with Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, and Jamaree Salyer for one of the two open spots at either center or left guard. In the draft, the Chargers picked Pitt’s Branson Taylor, a 6’6 left tackle who has already been tabbed as a guard for LA.
It’s going to be a real slugfest to figure out which two come out of that group a starters, and if one does end up being Johnson, maybe there is a chance he sticks around, albeit on a much cheaper deal than what his fifth-year option was set to pay him.