It’s been an up-and-down road for the Chargers the past few years, but now things look different with a new coach and GM. Welcome back to another edition of ‘The Super Bowl Race In The Perspective of Chase’, and today we will preview the Los Angeles Chargers 2024 season!
2023 Season
The Chargers felt disappointed going into 2023, as they blew a 27 point lead in the postseason to Jacksonville. So when Mike Williams went down with injury, Austin Ekeler was disappointing and the Chargers saw very little production from secondary pass catching options, things went down hill. Add in injuries to Joey Bosa and Justin Herbert, and what looked like a postseason year turned into a five win season a top five pick in the NFL draft. And outside of an overachieving season from Keenan Allen, the Chargers played below expectations. So going into the offseason, they knew they had to make some changes.
Offseason Additions and Losses
It didn’t take the Chargers much time to fire head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco. In fact, they did it in the middle of December, not even making it to the new year. So the Chargers made immediate moves, hiring Ravens assistant GM Joe Hortiz to become the general manager and hiring Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh to become the team’s head coach. Two major moves for two people involved in winning organizations and programs. In fact, Harbaugh had a great experience previously as a head coach, making three straight NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl during his tenure in San Francisco. And he brought in Baltimore’s former assistant of the year, Greg Roman, to be their offensive coordinator. But the Chargers made other moves. They let Allen and Williams find new homes, but added Ravens running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. They also drafted Notre Dame Joe Alt in the first round to add on to their offensive line, and signed Denzel Perryman and Hayden Hurst. So the Chargers let go of their pass catchers, but revamped their running game and defense to take a different approach in 2024.
X-Factor: J.K. Dobbins
Ravens fans still suffer over the 2020 preseason game that saw J.K. Dobbins go down with a torn ACL that would sideline him for the entire 2021 season. Dobbins had been coming off of an exceptional rookie campaign, and was ready to blossom as the one of the league’s best backs. However, he couldn’t manage to get fully healthy until 2022, where he then needed knee surgery and couldn’t return until the final games of the season. But in those games, he was top five in running back all-purpose yardage. So expectations were high in 2023…before he went down with a torn achilles which sidelined him the entirety of last year. It’s been a horrible road for Dobbins and his injuries. And you have to wonder if he’ll be the same this season. But if he can stay on the field, he will be Los Angeles’ RB1 ahead of Edwards. He has the explosiveness, juking ability and even physicality that makes him a scary back to go against. But he hasn’t been able to stay on the field. If he does, though–and now that he’s back together with Roman–he can be a huge difference maker and even a 1,000 yard runner in this offense.
Reason for Concern: The Pass Catching Talent Around Herbert
Last year the Chargers complained about a lack of production from their secondary receivers. However, those guys are now No. 1 targets. While the Chargers improved in other areas, I’m still in shock that they’d let go of their top two pass catchers in an already weaker and older receiving room. So Justin Herbert’s top wide receivers this season are rookie 2nd rounder Ladd McConkey, veteran DJ Chark, former WR3 Joshua Palmer and 2023 1st round pick disappointment Quentin Johnston. Those are the guys. McConkey has shown some promise throughout camp, but he’s not ready to be Herbert’s top target. And Johnston hasn’t shown any flashes since joining the league that suggests he can be the player we thought he can be. And at tight end, Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst are just not the difference makers this offense needs. Even the running backs though have shown little to no value in the receiving game compared to Ekeler who was one of the best receiving backs in the league in his tenure with LA. I understand Los Angeles wanting to prioritize improving the running game, but to pay a quarterback over $260 million and give him Joshua Palmer to work with is a little disappointing.
Reason for Promise: The Offensive Line
We’ve been raving about the improvements the Chargers have made in their running game, and a lot of that has to do with the offensive line. They added Alt in the draft, and he was one of the best tackles in the nation last year. However, he won’t be their blindside tackle just yet because Rashawn Slater is another dominant force, and one of the best tackles in the National Football League. Zion Johnson is another valuable piece at guard, and was drafted in the first round at 17th overall in 2022. Those three alone will make LA’s O-Line a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Even less commonly known Trey Pipkins will make a difference. And the Chargers signed Bradley Bozeman to become their center, and he had a pretty decent stint with Baltimore and Carolina. Those five make up one of the league’s best units. PFF puts Los Angeles at 12th in their most recent offensive line ranking, but they have the potential to rise even further with the talent they have.
Prediction
The Chargers are in a weird spot. Because they are a completely different team from what they were a few years ago. But now I believed they’re better coached and have more of a direct plan on defense. Jesse Minter came over with Harbaugh to become the DC after an incredible stint with Michigan. He should work some magic this coming season. But I am still concerned about the passing game and who Herbert has to throw to. The Chargers can be a sneaky team, and I believe they have the potential to sneak into a postseason spot. But without any pass catching help, they won’t do anything if they get there.
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