Free agency is about to begin, and the recent results of the NFLPA survey aren’t going to help the Chargers lure in any new players. The league surveyed 1,300 players regarding the condition of their teams’ respective facilities in categories ranging from strength coaches to treatment of families. The results are in, and the Los Angeles Chargers ranked 30th out of 32 teams, ahead of just the Washington Commanders and the Arizona Cardinals.
The NFLPA surveyed 1,300+ players across 8 categories for their team report cards.
Here's how the #Chargers graded out: pic.twitter.com/c4G0KbIjfC
— Michael Peterson (@ZoneTracks) March 1, 2023
Chargers Finish As Third-Worst Team In NFLPA Survey
Per the survey, the Chargers organization earned a D- in Treatment of Families, an F in Food Service, a C- in Weight Room, an A- for their strength coaches, an F- for their training room, a C- for their training staff, a D- for their locker room, and a B for team travel.
Needless to say, these are not good marks, and even the ones that appear to be adequate aren’t quite as satisfactory as they appear. Apparently, the vast majority of players in the league like their strength coaches, so that A- grade is only good for the 17th-best mark in the league. Similarly, most teams have a better weight room, as the C- grade ranks 27th among NFL teams.
To be fair, the Chargers have an excuse for some of the poor grades. As the NFLPA report card itself points out, the Chargers are currently operating out of a converted office, using that as a temporary facility while their updated one is currently under construction. Needless to say, since the office building wasn’t designed for NFL use, it’s not going to have everything the players want. The new facility should be up and running in 2024, which will boost up some of the grades.
However, it’s not going to fix the D- grade for family treatment. According to the report, the Chargers are one of 14 teams that do not offer a family room at the stadium. Additionally, while the new facility will likely address the issues with the steam room, weight room, and hot/cold pools, there is no way to know if Los Angeles will also hire more trainers. Per the NFLPA’s findings, only 57% of the surveyed Chargers players felt like they had an adequate number of personal trainers, the third-worst mark in the league.
How This Could Affect Free Agency
Needless to say, the Chargers organization should try to address these issues. The Los Angeles Chargers are worth billions of dollars, so they can definitely afford to hire extra trainers and address any issues that won’t be fixed by the new facility. Playing in the NFL is a ridiculously difficult job, especially when it comes to the physical toll it takes on your body. Taking care of your players is vital to the long-term success of your organization, and this poor ranking could scare away potential free agents.
Obviously, at the end of the day, money talks, and the Chargers could theoretically get whoever they wanted by outbidding the competition. However, with the salary cap in place, that strategy isn’t viable. There will inevitably be times when Los Angeles and another franchise are making similar offers for the same player, and that player will need to weigh all his factors when choosing his next NFL home. These poor conditions could ultimately prevent an elite Justin Herbert from having an equally great blindside protector.
Main Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski – USA Today Sports
