Outside of the NFL season, it is the most fun part of the year for all of the teams that are out of the running for the Super Bowl. The Los Angeles Chargers find themselves looking towards the 2025 off-season to re-tool their team and be the team that is in contention for the Super Bowl this time next year.
The off-season for the Chargers is quite the interesting one as there are plenty of needs, plenty of resources and plenty of avenues to go down. As for today, seeing what the Chargers need is one of the first dominoes to fall.
3 Positions The Chargers Must Address This Off-Season
As Chargers fans have heard since their not-so-spectacular loss to the Houston Texans, “The playoffs expose your weaknesses worse than ever.” This sentiment should be carried throughout the off-season, and allow for Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz to address their needs to lessen the weaknesses they have going into the 2025 season and eventual post-season.
Luckily for Hortiz and Chargers fans, the Bolts will have plenty of spending money. On top of the abundance of cap space, they have ten draft selections to replenish the depth of this roster.
A True “X” Wide Receiver
As touched on before, the Chargers weaknesses were mightily exposed in the playoffs, the greatest of which was the lack of a true X receiver for the Bolts. Ladd McConkey had one of the greatest playoff performances of all time, yet it was not where close to enough to get the Chargers to victory.
LADD MCCONKEY GOES 86 YARDS ON 3RD AND 26!
📺: #LACvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/HY54nsLyeo— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2025
This simply goes to show that it cannot be a one-man show in the playoffs. Other guys have to step up and, quite frankly, that did not happen. The Chargers have Quentin Johnston on the roster who has improved greatly since his rookie season, but he still shows major deficiencies in his game that should not allow him to be the X option for the Chargers.
The Chargers will say goodbye to Joshua Palmer for the time being, as he was not available in the playoffs and is going to hit free agency. This just leaves Ladd McConkey and Johnston as the remaining options, which shows an obvious need at wide receiver in general. More specifically, a true X.
Players Who Can Fill This Chargers Need
Unfortunately, there are very few options for the Chargers that would fill this role and finally give Herbert another target, especially one who can take on single & press coverage.
Free Agency/Trades: Trading for DK Metcalf, signing Giants receiver Darius Slayton, giving veteran Amari Cooper another shot at a ring, and the obvious dream scenario is signing the #1 free agent available, Tee Higgins.
The draft is still a work in progress as we have to see any real off-season testing, but as of early February a few names that are loved to fill this Chargers need; the ultra Harbaugh guy Jack Bech, personal favorite Jayden Higgins, and mock draft favorite Elic Ayomanor.
He fits the Chargers sooo well… https://t.co/m8hYOZ49T8 pic.twitter.com/FW9XsUAjDv
— Nate Gosney (@NateGosney) February 1, 2025
Interior Offense Line
Back to the theme of weaknesses being exposed in the playoffs, the interior offensive line might of had the worst day of the entire offense, and that includes Herbert who threw more interceptions in one game than he did for the entire season. The interior was an issue all season.
From left to right you have Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, and Trey Pipkins. Johnson as a slowly but ascending first-round selection on a rookie contract is safe at left guard and should be back for 2025.
As it pertains to Bozeman and Pipkins… well that is a different story. Bozeman will likely be back to the unfortunate surprise of Chargers fans. However, it should not be out of the cards for the Bolts to bring in competition, whether it is through the draft or free agency. For Pipkins, he is an obvious cut candidate this off-season as he is in the last year of his deal, would save the Chargers 7~ million, and did not play to the standard of what he is being paid.
Players Who Can Fill This Chargers Need
So with Pipkins likely gone and a desperate need for someone to push Bozeman for a starting spot the Chargers must look to the off-season and the draft to reload before the season.
A few names to look out for in free agency: the ultimate veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, bridge guard/center, James Daniels, super versatile former Raven Patrick Mekari, veteran center Ryan Kelly, and guard/center, Austin Corbett.
As for the NFL Draft, it’s a real thin group, especially at center. Versatile OL Grey Zabel is at the top of the list, mauling guard Tyler Booker, versatile local center, Jonah Monheim, and Texas Center Jake Majors are all names to look for.
Every 1-1 rep for Grey Zabel (NDSU) today.
Dominant is an understatement. pic.twitter.com/kiOcIRuXpb
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) January 28, 2025
Youth and Speed on the EDGE
The last need the Chargers must address in the 2025 off-season is youth and speed on the EDGE. To summarize, the Chargers are staring down the barrel of cutting Joey Bosa, re-signing Khalil Mack for one more year, and having Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree as depth options.
The trio of Mack, Tuipulotu, and Dupree is fine on its own, but there is no speed in the room. There is also only Tuipulotu to build on for the future of this Chargers defense. All of this to say, some “juice” and youth is a must this off-season.
Players Who Can Fill This Chargers Need
The free agent market for EDGE rushers is pretty dried up, but luckily for the Chargers, the NFL draft is stacked with EDGE rushers this off-season.
Free agents: Young speed rusher, Baron Browning would fill both youth and speed, depth option Al-Quadin Muhammad would be a lower-end version of Browning and veteran Jacob Martin would help in the speed department, but is 29.
As for the draft a few names to look for: ultra-talented Mykel Williams, 21-year-old Donovan Ezeiruaku, uber-athletic Quandarrius Robinson and the small school David Walker.
David Walker from FCS school Central Arkansas did exactly what small school players have to do at the Senior Bowl: Kick ass and standout against competition they haven’t played against. Showed off his power all week. pic.twitter.com/FvPVhvk0Kd
— Justin Penik (@JustinPenik) January 30, 2025
Main Photo: Troy Taormina – Imagn Images
