Los Angeles Chargers sign QB Trey Lance

Trey Lance's one-year, $6.75M deal with the Chargers earns a C Contract Value Index (CVI)—a middling valuation that reflects the inherent gamble of a low-cost, high-upside backup QB arrangement. At $6.75M AAV, this is strictly a reserve/competition-level contract, the kind typically reserved for depth pieces or players in genuine prove-it windows, which Lance squarely occupies after limited NFL production and injury disruption. The Chargers are banking on developmental upside and roster flexibility here: a one-year structure carries minimal dead-cap risk and preserves cap space for competitive additions, but it also signals organizational hesitation about Lance as a long-term answer. The value equation hinges on whether Lance can provide legitimate competition during the offseason and preseason, or simply absorb snaps as insurance—anything closer to starting-caliber production would have commanded a multi-year deal or higher annual cost. For a player at Lance's career stage, this contract is appropriately priced; it neither overpays for unproven upside nor insults a veteran with championship experience, making it a straightforward, low-risk hedge during what is currently a soft offseason for the organization.