The 2019 regular season is coming to its close, with only one more Sunday of games to go. For fans of the Los Angeles Chargers (5-10), this may be a mercy. Things have gone entirely the opposite of what was hoped for this year. And while the roster still has solid players aplenty like Joey Bosa and Derwin James, there are still a fair number of questions to be answered this off-season. Perhaps most importantly, concerning Philip Rivers himself – and whether he will still be wearing a Chargers uniform in 2020.
Will Philip Rivers Be Playing His Last Chargers Game?
A Disappointing 2019 Season
As many of us are well aware, 2019 has not been up to par for Rivers, who turned 38 this month. As it currently stands, he has 21 touchdowns and 18 interceptions on the year. While he’s thrown more interceptions than this before (2011 and 2016), it’s still second in the league only to Jameis Winston. And unlike those other years, he hasn’t made up for it with a much higher amount of touchdowns. He hasn’t thrown fewer than 25 touchdowns in a season since 2007. It was bad enough that at one point benching was considered a possibility.
He’s still shown occasionally that he’s capable of playing to his normal ability, most recently against the Jacksonville Jaguars when he (and the entire team) shredded their defense. But then there’s also been games like his four-interception one against the Kansas City Chiefs (and that game wasn’t quite as awful as it sounds, but it was still bad). In such games, he’s looked a lot more panicky than in prior years and has tried to force some throws – which has often led to the interceptions. This may be in part because of the injury-decimated offensive line. But he’s played with a lot of bad o-lines over the years, and still hasn’t struggled this bad. It’s very likely that Father Time has come for him.
Options for the Chargers
Philip Rivers is a free agent this off-season. And so, coming off the heels of one of his worst seasons at an older age, the Chargers have a big decision to make. They could re-sign him, but on a smaller deal given his age (2 years-ish). And the team hasn’t made it clear what their plans are; even Rivers doesn’t know. But he has essentially dispelled retirement as a likelihood. So the possibility exists that Rivers may be playing football in 2020 – but not in a Chargers uniform.
The question then would be what would be next at quarterback for the Chargers if they did decide to move on. They do have a rookie on the roster in Easton Stick, but they could always draft another quarterback – especially since they’ll have a high draft pick. There have also been rumors of the possibility of bringing in Cam Newton, or some other veteran quarterback. Andy Dalton wouldn’t be a bad option for them. They also have Tyrod Taylor currently on the roster, and even though he has a history with coach Anthony Lynn, he’s still essentially a proven backup at this point, making that option unlikely (but not impossible).
Last Word
It’s hard to believe we’re even discussing the possibility of Rivers not being in a Chargers uniform. He’s only one season removed from a 12-4 berth and one of his best seasons ever. But that’s the reality fans face at this point. And because of his struggles this season combined with his age, many a fan may actually be ready to move on. But given how much Rivers has given to this franchise, it’s difficult to imagine the two sides parting ways before he’s ready.
The Chargers have one more game to play against the Chiefs – a virtually meaningless game for them at this point. And then it will be officially time for the team to start looking ahead and decide what the immediate future holds for them. There are multiple options on the table, including Rivers coming back. And the fans can at least have the comfort of knowing they still have a capable roster. Bizarrely, they still have a positive point differential this season (barely). It’s just a matter of finishing games. Unfortunately, both Rivers and the Chargers have not been able to do in 2019. It’ll be up to the team to decide if they think Rivers still can finish such games for 2020.
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