The Chargers had an eventful offseason, and it received high praise from most pundits, with ESPN’s Seth Walder being the latest who liked what the Bolts did.
Walder graded each team’s offseason moves and gave Los Angeles an A-. Overall, they finished third, only behind the Eagles, who were the only team to receive an A and the Chiefs (A-).
The biggest move made by the Chargers was the hiring of Jim Harbaugh.
“It’s hard not to buy the Chargers long term with Harbaugh on board given his incredible track record and Justin Herbert under center,” Walder said. “This is a team that should be a force in the future.”
Training camp hasn’t even started yet, but there’s been nothing but rave reviews coming out of the Chargers facility with Harbaugh at the helm. His presence has positively impacted the culture of the team.
Beyond the acquisition of Harbaugh, Walder mentioned how he liked Joe Hortiz and company retooled the roster with players who will be contributors not only this season but also in 2025 and beyond.
They made minor moves in free agency — signing veteran players such as linebacker Denzel Perryman, running back Gus Edwards, center Bradley Bozeman and tight end Hayden Hurst — released high-priced receiver Mike Williams and traded receiver Keenan Allen, another costly veteran. They retained their two veteran edge rushers, Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack (a bit of a surprise), but got them to take pay cuts.
Rookies Joe Alt and Ladd McConkey received praise, as Walder said the Chargers selected two players at key positions early in the draft.
The only thing that Walder disliked was the Bolts not adding a higher-quality veteran wide receiver. While his point is valid, they still have a formidable positional group that should benefit from the arm of Justin Herbert.
On paper, the Chargers are a solid team that should be able to contend for a playoff spot this season, given Harbaugh’s presence, Herbert, top-end talent at most positions and having the second-easiest schedule.