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Gavino Borquez names the best fits at each position for the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers enter this offseason with a decent-looking roster on paper, but there are still some areas that need to be solidified before the 2021 season begins.
With a healthy amount of salary cap space available, Los Angeles can address those in free agency. While it’s easy to want the biggest names on the market, it’s not that easy to land them.
With that being said, here are the best fits at each position of need based on players who fit the team’s scheme and culture.
The Chargers could look for their starting blindside blocker in free agency.
The Chargers’ priority this offseason will be to upgrade the offensive line after neglecting the group for years now.
The early rounds of the NFL draft should be their outlet, given the talent at the top, but free agency is where general manager Tom Telesco has banked on since the beginning of his tenure.
Should Telesco explore the free agency market to address the line, one player that could draw some intrigue is Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva.
Villanueva, 32, is finishing up his sixth season in the NFL. He has started every single game dating back to 2016. Villanueva was selected to a pair of Pro Bowls (2017, 2018).
Villanueva has graded between 74.0 and 82.0 in each of his last five seasons, per Pro Football Focus. He ranks in the 54th percentile in PFF pass-blocking grade and the 46th percentile in pass-blocking grade on true pass sets during that time.
Sam Tevi, the team’s starting left tackle from this past season, is slated to be a free agent and while they like Tevi, the team may view Villanueva is a more reliable option for the next season or two.
Villanueva’s offensive line coach in Pittsburgh, Shaun Sarrett, is now the assistant offensive line coach with Los Angeles, so the familiarity might be appealing to the veteran.
I’m a firm believer that the Chargers should draft one with their first or second-round selections, but the team could still do so while signing Villanueva as a stop-gap measure.
Another player from Pittsburgh that’s worth monitoring is Matt Feiler, who is also expected to be a free agent. Feiler’s proven himself at both tackle and guard. He could provide L.A. with the versatility to play either spot in a pinch.
The Chargers are predicted to re-sign one of their own and three offensive players.
For the most, Chargers already have a talented roster in place, but there are certain positions that could be cleaned up.
Therefore, general manager Tom Telesco will likely dip into the free agency pool to address them, like he did last offseason when he signed four notable players to contracts. Telesco could have plenty of intriguing options to choose from.
Pro Football Focus released their annual list of the league’s top 100 free agents, where they gave a brief summary of each player and who they predict them to sign with this offseason.
PFF connected Los Angeles with four players. The first one is one of their own, tight end Hunter Henry.
He is a productive and capable tight end with plenty of tools to be an excellent receiver in any offense. Henry has the size to box defenders out underneath, the savvy to find holes in a defense and enough route-running skills to separate over the middle.
The next one listed is Packers center Corey Linsley. With Dan Feeney slated to hit the market and Mike Pouncey’s career up in the air due to injury concerns, L.A. could afford to revamp the position with one of the league’s best.
Linsley has been outstanding in pass protection this season, allowing just four pressures on 437 pass-blocking attempts in 2020. He is also a strong run-blocker, ranking in the 84th percentile in the percentage of positively graded blocks and the 85th percentile when it comes to avoiding negatives.
The Bolts address the offensive line, specifically the left tackle position, with another veteran in Steelers’ Alejandro Villenueva. Sam Tevi’s contract is up and there’s a chance that the team could let him walk, despite him performing well as a blindside blocker.
There’s immense value in solid, mid-tier offensive linemen, and that’s exactly what Villanueva has been throughout his career. He’s graded between 74.0 and 82.0 in each of his last five seasons; he ranks in the 54th percentile in PFF pass-blocking grade and the 46th percentile in pass-blocking grade on true pass sets during that time.
Finally, PFF predicted Los Angeles to sign Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett to serve as the backup to Justin Herbert. Tyrod Taylor will be a free agent and might find an opportunity elsewhere. There’s the possibility of letting Easton Stick fill the role. They have been grooming him to be their backup since they drafted him in the fifth round in 2019.
Brissett has PFF grades of 62.4 in 2017 and 59.2 in 2019 as a starter, showing that he’s likely a high-end backup. Stylistically, Brissett has landed more on the game manager end of the spectrum, taking good care of the ball but also having a low percentage of big-time throws. When adding some rushing value to the mix, it’s clear that Brissett can be called upon to win a few games, but he hasn’t looked like a quarterback who is capable of carrying a team.
Two other Chargers are mentioned and PFF sees them signing elsewhere. Edge defender Melvin Ingram is predicted to sign with the Lions while linebacker Denzel Perryman is pegged to the Packers.
