Defensive lineman Damion Square is returning to the Los Angeles Chargers for the 2020 season, the Alabama alumnus announced on his Instagram account on Monday.
For the second straight offseason, Square was an unrestricted free agent. And for the second straight offseason, he lingered for a while in free agency before returning to the Chargers. Last year, Square rejoined Los Angeles on May 13.
Terms of Square’s return were not announced.
In his fifth season with the Chargers, Square played in every game for the third straight year in 2019. He made four starts and contributed 27 tackles while working mainly at nose tackle.
Among the Chargers’ defensive-interior linemen, Square ranked third in snaps in 2019, with Justin Jones at 504, Brandon Mebane at 408 and Square at 402.
With Square and Mebane free agents, Los Angeles signed two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle and 10-year veteran Linval Joseph from the Minnesota Vikings to a two-year, $17 million contract in March. Mebane remains unsigned.
Square was a member of three BCS national-championship teams at Alabama. He entered the NFL by making the Philadelphia Eagles' roster as an undrafted rookie in 2013.
After Square played in 10 games in 2013, the Eagles released him at the end of training camp in 2014. The Kansas City Chiefs picked up the defensive lineman, but Square never got in a game with Kansas City before being released on Oct. 31, 2014. The Chargers picked him up, but he finished that season without appearing in a game.
Square went from Dec. 29, 2013, when he played the last of his 147 defensive snaps for the Eagles, until Nov. 9, 2015, without appearing in an NFL regular-season game. He ended up playing 155 snaps in six games for the Chargers in 2015.
In 2016, Square played 362 defensive snaps in 11 games for the Chargers. He recorded the first sacks of his career, sharing a sack of Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler on Nov. 27, then sacking Cleveland Browns QB Robert Griffin III two times on Dec. 24. That led to a two-year contract with the Chargers.
In 2017, Square played the full 16-game NFL regular season for the first time. He made 19 tackles, knocked down three passes and recovered a fumble while playing one more defensive snap than in 2016.
In 2018, Square got the most action of his career. He stepped in where needed when injuries struck the defensive line, making starts at end and nose tackle for the Chargers. Square entered the season with eight starts in his NFL career, and he made 11 in 2018. Square registered 31 tackles, three sacks and seven quarterback hits -- all career highs -- while playing 530 defensive snaps.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.
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