The Los Angeles Chargers had a heartbreaking end to their season. In his first season with the team, head coach Jim Harbaugh took them to the playoffs for just the second time in Justin Herbert’s career, but the results there were far from ideal.
Suffering an almighty collapse, the Chargers were blown out by the Houston Texans, shockingly halting their season. Now, to recover, multiple NFL analysts believe the team will take a swing in free agency to bring additional weapons into the fold to give Herbert some more help.
Los Angeles Chargers To Add Veteran WR for Justin Herbert, Predicts ESPN and SI Analysts
The offense is where the Chargers really fell short in the Wild Card Round. A unit that ranked 17th on PFSN’s Offense+ metric fell apart, with Herbert throwing four interceptions in the game.
Throughout the year, Harbaugh employed a more conservative offensive approach, focusing on building a ground game. But, multiple analysts believe their best course of action is to rely heavily on the passing ability of their quarterback.
To help him, their wide receiver core, led by rookie Ladd McConkey, needs a major addition in the form of a veteran wide receiver, according to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry.
“Wide receiver Davante Adams signs with the Chargers. If the Jets move on from Adams, the Chargers should sign him ASAP. In Jim Harbaugh’s first season, they lost in the Wild Card round with a floundering offense.”
For him, the final reasoning is rather straightforward. “Justin Herbert needs a true No. 1 receiver, and Adams fits the bill.”
While it might seem like going after a 32-year-old wide receiver might not be the best option, Adams still had a 1,000-yard season despite splitting time between the Jets and the Raiders last season, both teams without great quarterback play.
Even Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated is firmly on board with the idea of Adams coming to the Chargers. “Adams, motivated to put an end-of-prime on what could be a Hall of Famer career, would provide Justin Herbert a reliable target and a valuable veteran mentor for the developing of Ladd McConkey and the much-in-need-of-confidence Quentin Johnson.”
The loss in the playoffs, combined with a draft class that doesn’t project to have a true answer for Los Angeles’ struggles, will force the Chargers to look outside the NFL Draft to fix their offensive woes.
“The Chargers aren’t going to be able to effectively supplement the wide receiver depth chart via the draft alone this offseason. The playoff loss to the Texans was proof that Herbert needs more.”
Going by stats alone, it is hard to argue that Adams wouldn’t be an immediate boost to the Chargers’ offense. And with Aaron Rodgers and New York parting ways, it might not be long before the franchise also lets Adams go. Bringing in a proven veteran might be the best-case scenario for a Chargers team that needs to take the next step.