The Greg Roman offense is known to be a run-first offense, that gives defenses a miserable matchup no matter how tough they think they are. Obviously having a strong running back room is important when you want to beat up opposing defenses, but as the Chargers fans may know, having talent at running back can only go so far. The entire offensive line needs to perform, and more importantly, the Tight Ends need to block their tail off.
The Chargers Most Underrated Signing of the Offseason
The Chargers Before Will Dissly
The Los Angeles Chargers have been completely atrocious the last few seasons when it pertains to tight ends blocking in the run game. One of the first moves of this new regime was to bring in former Seahawks role-player, Will Dissly. The most underrated signing of the offseason.
The 2023 Chargers team had the worst run-blocking grade across the entire league. The Offensive line was banged up and out of sync, and the tight ends were atrocious. The Chargers average run-blocking grade amongst their tight ends which took ten or more snaps is 42.4. This average would rank out 115/124 in the league across all tight ends with 10 or more run-blocking snaps. Needless to say, the running game was atrocious.
Whether it was Gerald Everett, Stone Smartt, Donald Parham, Nick Vannett, or the infamous Tre McKitty on the field, the team struggled to run the ball. 3/5 are now with other teams. The Chargers obviously needed to find an external solution to their run game issues. The only two remaining are both promising young players in Parham and Smartt.
I know nobody wants to hear it, but blocking continues to be an issue within the Chargers TE room. Not sure what either were doing on this play tbh. pic.twitter.com/IjidKXKRKO
— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) August 21, 2023
The Offense’s New Best Friend
The Los Angeles Chargers signed Will Dissly to a three-year contract worth $14 million, with ten million dollars guaranteed. This signing surprised fans who have not heard of the veteran tight end with only 172 receiving yards last season. However, his impact falls in line with what the Chargers have so desperately needed for years. A run blocking tight end. They have not had one since the days of Virgil Green.
The former Seahawks fourth-round selection had the third-best run-blocking grade amongst all tight ends last year, with a very strong 77.2. The Bolts have not had a tight end hit 70 in run block grade since 2020 with the aforementioned Green. Will Dissly’s impact on the run game cannot be understated, especially now under a regime that values the run more than ever. A team with two new tight ends, three new runningbacks, and a shiny new first-round selection at offensive tackle, shows their absolute want to dominate the trenches.
Will be a nice change of pace to see a Chargers TE that is capable of blocking pass rushers 1 on 1. Here is Will Dissly vs TJ Watt. Nothing crazy, just really solid. pic.twitter.com/YU1QThdtPM
— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) March 12, 2024
His impact is more than just his run-game blocking. Will Dissly also had the best pass-blocking grade (83.5) amongst all tight ends last season. The man can simply block. Furthermore, his ability to catch the ball and give tacklers a difficult man to bring down gives the passing game just one more weapon to alleviate pressure off of this run-heavy offense.
Whether he is protecting Justin Herbert from wide nine-edge rushers, pancaking linebackers in the run game, or simply catching a flat route and breaking a tackle to go 20 yards, the Chargers most underrated singing of the offseason will be felt on a down-to-down basis.
Main Photo: [Gary A. Vasquez] – USA Today Sports
