Linebacker Thomas Davis agrees to two-year deal with the Chargers

The Chargers continued reworking their defense Tuesday by agreeing to a two-year contract with veteran linebacker Thomas Davis, a deal Davis confirmed on social media.

The move cannot become official until the NFL’s free-agent signing period opens Wednesday. The contract is worth up to $10.5 million, with half of that guaranteed.

Davis, who turns 36 next week, spent 14 years with Carolina, earning Pro Bowl honors in three straight seasons starting in 2015.

In 12 games last year, he finished with 79 tackles, which tied for second on the team.

Davis missed the first four games in 2018 after violating the league’s rules on performance-enhancing drugs.

In a video posted to his Twitter account, he explained that he tested positive for an estrogen blocker, something he called an unintentional mistake.

The news was considered surprising for a player who was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2014.

Davis took to Twitter again Tuesday to announce his decision to sign with his new team.

“Very happy that I’m going to be able to showcase my talents for the LA Chargers!� read his post. “Long way from home but I’m extremely excited about this opportunity!�

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Davis is from Georgia and played collegiately at the University of Georgia. He was taken by the Panthers in the first round of the 2005 draft, two spots after the Chargers selected Shawne Merriman.

His addition should help bolster the Chargers’ run defense, in particular. Over the weekend, they re-signed linebacker Denzel Perryman to a two-year contract with a guarantee of $4.9 million. Perryman’s deal could be worth up to $12 million.

Given their salary cap space, the Chargers have been limited in free agency. Before re-signing Perryman, they had roughly $26.5 million in cap room, a total that put them in the bottom half of the NFL.

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Twitter: @JeffMillerLAT