A lousy season sure has its advantages.

After selecting high in the April draft, the Chargers enjoyed another perk to last year’s 4-12 record on Tuesday.

San Diego exercised its high waiver-claim priority, adding former Titans quarterback Zach Mettenberger. He reunites with offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, who coached him the past two seasons in Tennessee. Mettenberger will compete with Kellen Clemens to be the primary reserve behind Philip Rivers.


Quarterback Bryn Renner was waived in a corresponding move.

The Chargers have the No. 3 waiver priority when a player with three or few accrued NFL seasons is released, thereby entering the league’s waiver-claim system. Only the Titans and Browns hold a higher claim on such a player. Since the Titans were the ones who waived Mettenberger, the Browns were the sole team standing between a Mettenberger and Whisenhunt reunion. They passed.

Get used to this.

Supplementing the roster via the waiver wire is a tool the Chargers will keep in hand between now and through Week 3 of the regular season. After that, team waiver priority will be based on the reverse order of the 2016 regular-season standings.


Mettenberger, a 2014 sixth-round pick from LSU, started 10 games the past two seasons. He completed 60.8 percent of his 345 passes for 2,537 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He turns 25 in July. Clemens, 33 in June, has been Rivers’ primary backup since 2014. He signed a one-year deal in March.

Mike Bercovici, an undrafted rookie from Arizona State, rounds out the quarterback depth chart.