Entering the offseason, it was reasonable to expect some improvements independent of free agency and the draft:
1. All returning players are entering year 2 under the current offensive and defensive coaches and their systems. This quote from a
Daniel Popper article this week helps to illustrate why it is reasonable to expect improvement:
Those returning players are already feeling the benefits of having a full season in Staley’s system. As Drue Tranquill said earlier this week, the offseason program meetings are markedly different from this time last year.
“We were able to really move past just installing and doing everyday verbiage,” Tranquill said of Monday’s meeting with inside linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite. “We all know the install by now and we were really able to dig into the techniques. Where are we aligning here and what are we trying to get the offensive line to do so that we can then make this play? Going into that second and third level, you’re able to do that in the second year of the defense. The first year of the defense, you’re just trying to learn how to communicate, what to say to each other on the field. I think diving into those layers, to me, has been something.”
That quote is focused on defense, but it applies equally to players entering their second year in OC Lombardi's offense.
2. QB Justin Herbert now has two years of NFL experience. He shouldn't have stopped improving yet, so it is reasonable to think he will be better in 2022.
3. Brandon Staley is entering year 2 as a NFL head coach. It is reasonable to expect that he will take some improvement from some of his rookie head coach experience and decisions.
The team's offseason moves have been extremely positive, listed here in my view of the rough order of priority entering the offseason.
Tier 1 Needs:
1. The team needed to improve its interior defensive line. Check, the team replaced IDLs Linval Joseph and Justin Jones with Austin Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day and drafted IDL Otito Ogbonnia, a 0T/1T player, in the 5th round.
2. The team needed to improve its pass rush across from Edge Joey Bosa. Check, traded for Edge Khalil Mack... and got him for just the team's 2022 2nd round and 2 of its 4 7th round compensatory picks, which seems like a bargain. Mack and Staley were together in Chicago, and he already knows Staley and his defense.
3. The team needed to improve its CB play, both starters and depth.
3a. Check, signed premier free agent CB J.C. Jackson to start at CB1. This has the added benefit of pushing returning CBs Asante Samuel, Michael Davis, and Tevaughn Campbell at least 1 spot down the depth chart, where each should find more favorable matchups.
3b. Check, signed free agent CB Bryce Callahan, another upgrade based on the quality of his play to date. He is also a particular upgrade in the slot, giving the Chargers more options there after CB Chris Harris flopped in that role over the past couple seasons and was allowed to walk. Callahan has played his entire career in the Fangio/Staley defense.
4. The team needed to improve the right side of its OL. Check, drafted RG Zion Johnson, who will be an immediate starter and should be an immediate improvement over last season's RGs Oday Aboushi and Michael Schofield. Upgrading RG could also have a positive effect on RT.
Tier 2 Needs:
5. The team needed to improve its safety depth. This was an underrated need by those who do not follow the Chargers or the Fangio/Staley defensive scheme. Staley's defense has a role called the "Star" position, played with 5 DBs on the field, and a "Money" position, played with 6 DBs on the field. The defense will work best if S Derwin James has the freedom to move between his normal safety position and those other two positions, but that means having other players who can play deep safety effectively. Check, drafted S J.T. Woods. Popper wrote an article about it:
Chargers’ selection of JT Woods allows them to get the full benefits of Derwin James
6. The team need to improve its RB depth behind Austin Ekeler. Check, drafted RBs Isaiah Spiller and Zander Horvath and signed UDFA Leddie Brown. I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 of them make the final roster, pushing all of Josh Kelley, Larry Rountree, and Gabe Nabers off the roster.
7. The team needed to improve its OL depth. With two backup caliber OTs (Trey Pipkins and Storn Norton) already on the roster, even though one of them might start at RT, this really meant improving interior OL depth.
7a. Check, signed C/G Will Clapp, who played for Lombardi in New Orleans. This solves the need for a backup center in addition to providing depth at guard.
7b. Check, drafted G Jamaree Salyer in the 6th round, which was a steal for a player who had at least a 3rd round grade on most draft boards.
8. The team needed to improve its pass rush depth behind Bosa and Mack to keep them fresh and reduce their chances of injury. (Bosa was noticeably gassed at the end of many games last season.) Check, signed free agent Kyle Van Noy. Many think of Van Noy as a LB, and he is good at that, but he has played 72% of his snaps over the past 3 seasons in an outside position on the DL, whether you want to call that a DE or OLB or Edge. The fact that he can drop into coverage and even take quality snaps at LB if needed is just another positive.
Tier 3 Needs:
9. The team needed to improve its TE1 position, assuming it did not feel comfortable relying solely upon third year player Donald Parham and second year player Tre McKitty to fill that role (I didn't feel comfortable with that) and assuming it did not want to re-sign Jared Cook (I didn't). Check, signed Gerald Everett, who should be an upgrade over Cook.
10, The team needed to improve its LB depth. Check, signed free agent Troy Reeder, who played for Staley with the Rams.
11. The team needed to improve its special teams.
11a. Check, the team replaced its special teams coordinator with Ryan Ficken.
11b. Check, the team replaced 36 year old long snapper Matt Overton with Josh Harris.
11c. Check, the team replaced punter Ty Long with J.K. Scott.
11d. Check, the team re-signed PK Dustin Hopkins, who was very effective after coming in midseason last year.
11e. Check, the team replaced 35 year old kickoff and punt returner Andre Roberts with DeAndre Carter, who is younger and can also make a positive contribution on offense.
11f. Check, the team signed and drafted a number of new players who will play on the coverage units.
Granted, that is an extremely positive take. I'm sure all of it won't work out as well as it seems it could today. But I don't see how any Chargers fan could fail to be optimistic right now.
Yes, it would be even more ideal if the team were to sign a veteran starting RT. That seems possible, since the Chargers have the cap space to do it, but I'm guessing they plan to roll with what they have at this point.
Some fans would also say a speed WR was also needed, but I had that last on my lengthy list, and viewed that as a luxury item, not a true need. So I think they are fine without having addressed that position group.
This was a 9-8 team last season that just missed the playoffs and shouldn't have. I think the Chargers have a great shot at winning the AFC West if they avoid key/substantial injuries. And being a contender to win the AFC West implies being a contender to compete for the AFC Championship, since the AFC West should be the strongest division in the NFL in 2022.
Sounds like a sour grapes type thing, and on the surface doesn't seem like there's a lot of substance to it. As much as I'd like to see ownership transfer to a more competent set of folks, I don't think this is the offramp. Maybe we'll be surprised.
