Joe Barksdale to Chargers: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The San Diego Chargers upgraded their offensive line Tuesday, reportedly coming to terms with offensive tackle Joe Barksdale, one of the few talented players remaining in free agency.  

NFL insider Rand Getlin had the report:

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the one-year deal was worth the base minimum, with a $350,000 signing bonus and $1 million more in incentives.

Barksdale started 29 games at right tackle over the past two seasons for the St. Louis Rams. His presence at right tackle could bump D.J. Fluker to right guard, where he arguably would be more effective and would essentially serve to upgrade two positions on the line for the Chargers, one of their major weaknesses in 2014. 

As Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego noted, moving Fluker inside to guard wouldn't be surprising:

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The team has publicly flirted with the idea [Fluker] could move inside to guard, a position Fluker never has played but one some teams projected was his best fit before the 2013 NFL Draft. The Chargers selected Fluker, a bruiser in the run game, in the first round. He admittedly was overweight at times last year and said that he's determined to cut down this offseason.

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Signing Barksdale seems to suggest such a move is coming, though it's possible the team simply signed him for depth purposes. With Philip Rivers' future with the organization unknown, continuing to improve the offense—and namely the offensive line, which was a mess for much of last season—continues to be a major priority. 

Barksdale appears to be a step in the right direction.