The Chargers will have a slightly different look on the offensive side of the ball after losing quarterback Philip Rivers, running back Melvin Gordon and offensive tackle Russell Okung.
Los Angeles will start a new era at the quarterback position as Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert take over after Rivers and the franchise mutually agreed to part ways earlier this offseason.
There are plenty of questions in regards to how the quarterback play will shape up in Los Angeles. But the team’s skill players – which is led by Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler and Hunter Henry – should elevate it.
The offensive line, which has been the weakest line for years now, had a slight upgrade with the additions of tackle Bryan Bulaga and guard Trai Turner, along with the return of center Mike Pouncey.
How does their offense rank among the rest of the NFL?
The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia ranked all 32 team’s offenses, and Los Angeles finished near the bottom of the pack, coming in at No. 26 overall.
They’ll attempt one of the bigger scheme changes of any offense, going from the stationary Rivers to a quarterback-inclusive run game with Tyrod Taylor. The Chargers upgraded their offensive line, trading for Trai Turner and signing Bryan Bulaga, but they have one of the worst left tackle situations in the league. Given the drastic system change, they’re another team that figures to be hurt by the limited offseason. If things start off badly, there will be pressure to move on to first-round pick Justin Herbert.
The Chargers roster on the offensive side of the ball is talented, but it’ll all fall on the coaching staff’s shoulders to implement the best system to play to Taylor’s and Herbert’s strength in order to them into the most optimal position to succeed.
On the other side of the ball, there’s no denying that the unit is strong in all three levels. Led by Derwin James, Casey Hayward, Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, the defense finished as the No. 3 overall defense heading into the upcoming season.
L.A. will have more reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball to help become one of the top units in the NFL, including four-time Pro Bowler cornerback Chris Harris Jr, defensive tackle Linval Joseph and rookie linebacker Kenneth Murray.
Taking a big swing here, but there are legitimate reasons to be bullish about the Chargers’ defense. They were last in red-zone defense, last in short-yardage defense and produced turnovers at the fourth-lowest rate of any team last season. Those are areas that involve at least some luck and randomness, and the Chargers very well could bounce back. Their talent is better too. Safety Derwin James missed 11 games last season, and the Chargers signed Chris Harris Jr. to be their slot corner. First-round pick Kenneth Murray should offer an immediate upgrade at linebacker, and Linval Joseph is a savvy veteran addition at defensive tackle. Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram are among the top pass-rushing duos in the league. Scheme-wise, the Chargers played Cover-3 (a three-deep zone with four underneath defenders) at the highest percentage of any team last year. In interviews this offseason, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley has acknowledged needing to incorporate more man and more split-safety looks. If there’s a defense that could make a 49ers-like leap this season, it’s the Chargers.