With free agency and the NFL Draft over, the fine folks at PFF have begun handing out offseason grades for all 32 teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers. After making the playoffs in the first year of the Jim Harbaugh Era, the team entered the offseason with an absurd amount of cap space and the resources to completely rebuild their roster from the ground up. Unfortunately, PFF believes they didn’t make the most of this opportunity, as they received a C+ grade, one of the lower marks in the league.
“[The Chargers] were very quiet for a team with a lot of cap space, outside of singing Mekhi Becton late in free agency’s opening window,” PFF’s Trevor Sikkema writes. “Although the Najee Harris signing looked good at the time, it feels a bit redundant after the team drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round.”
PFF: Chargers Receive Underwhelming C+ Offseason Grade
The Chargers improved this offseason, but it’s fair to say they’re not as dominant as they could have been. The team entered free agency with glaring needs at wide receiver and tight end, but didn’t do much to address the issues. Veteran Mike Williams is back, but the former first-round pick looked like a shell of himself last year. Second-round pick Tre Harris is a promising player, but is too unproven to raise the offseason grade. The tight ends, meanwhile, remain one of the weakest groupings in the league.
Sikkema might be a little too harsh on the Najee Harris signing. Head coach Jim Harbaugh loves to run the football, and Harris ensures he’ll have a starting-caliber back ready to go from Day 1. Hampton has a bright future in this league, but you never want to place your complete trust in a rookie. Harris can be the short-term starter while Hampton adjusts to life in the NFL.
Los Angeles should have found a way to add another reliable pass-catcher or increase the talent on the defensive line. However, even without those improvements, this team should be in the thick of the AFC race and has the talent to compete for a title.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
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