No one knows who the starting quarterback is going to be for the Los Angeles Chargers when they move into their new stadium in 2020.
Current starting quarterback Philip Rivers will become an unrestricted free agent after this season and while you can make the argument that he will be under center next year, there’s still reasons to believe this could be the end of an era.
Coming off one of his best seasons in 2018, Rivers was a lock to get an extension before the 2019 campaign. Instead, Rivers and the franchise agreed to play it out and discuss a possible contract after the season, which made many scratch their heads why they had to hold off.
It was clear that it was mutual on both sides, but the two weren’t expecting with how this season would shape up — from the injuries to the coaching change, along with signs of decline from Rivers himself.
As a result, Rivers is nearing the end of one of the worst seasons in his professional career, which has had to give the franchise some reason for concern moving forward.
“I think that is my desire [to keep playing], but I do believe that it only seems right to say, ‘all right, let’s take a deep breath and regroup. I kept saying, a couple of years, a couple of years or a handful, and then I went to the ‘one year at a time.’ And I think that’s where it is, and that only makes sense when your contract is up and you’re going to be 38 here in a few weeks,” Rivers said.
Rivers was derailed by inconsistency along the offensive line, but the unit doesn’t deserve all the blame for his roller coaster of a season. His regression started towards the end of last season and his reckless play has still been evident, costing the team of a few of their eight losses.
Even if Rivers has some gas left in the tank, it’s doesn’t necessarily mean he wants to play anymore. He has a family that’s not getting any younger and the commute that he makes from San Diego to Los Angeles on a daily basis isn’t getting any easier.
Life without Rivers is hard to soak in because he’s been the heart and soul of the Bolts for the past 14 seasons when he became the permanent starter, but fans knew it would come at some point.
So where would the Chargers go if the veteran is not back in 2020?
Los Angeles would likely start their time in a new stadium with a new approach under QB Tyrod Taylor, who was signed to two years this past offseason.
As soon as Taylor was signed, it made sense that he wasn’t brought on board to ride the bench for both years. Instead, he was designed to possibly serve as a bridge until the potential rookie quarterback could get ready to take over the franchise.
Taylor, who was last tasked with serving as the Browns starting quarterback in 2018 for a little bit before Baker Mayfield took over, has 46 games as a starter under his belt. Los Angeles noted his experience in that role as a plus when bringing him in.
They also noted his familiarity.
Taylor played for coach Anthony Lynn during his first two years with the Bills, which were the most productive seasons of his career. He made the Pro Bowl in 2015 while Lynn was the running backs coach, and spent most of 2016 with him serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Lynn’s offensive philosophy has always been a run-heavy approach, but he hasn’t been able to do so without a mobile quarterback. Now with Taylor and Lynn reunited, they could mesh to bring some to shift the curve to an offense that has lacked creativity for years.
Pistol option, oh so beautiful. pic.twitter.com/CfdAnwvJ7f
— Gavino Borquez (@GavinoBorquez) December 9, 2019
First, Taylor ranks among the league’s best in turnovers. Since 2016, Taylor has limited his turnover-worthy plays better than any other qualified quarterback, just 1.5% of his dropbacks resulted in a turnover-worthy play, according to Pro Football Focus.
Second, he adds a different dynamic to the offense because of his athleticism. Taylor, who has excellent mobility, has rushed for 1,845 yards.
Third, Lynn has wanted to tailor the offense to his quarterbacks’ skill sets. The 30-year old would be used in rollouts, zone reads and draw plays—which could make the Chargers’ rushing attack more dangerous. He could then take advantage of the play-action game and stacked boxes to maximize his upside as a passer.
Finally, quarterbacks who excel under pressure don’t grow on trees. For Taylor, he ranks among the best because he can transform into a running back or evade the pocket and throw a crisp pass when he is under duress.
Many casual fans would say that Rivers gives them the best chance to win. But Taylor, who has taken a team to the playoffs, is the perfect player to achieve the goal of winning games and adding a new flavor to the offense while serving as a leader and developing the potential face of the franchise.
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