How do the LA Chargers rebuild the Wide Receiver Position?

The Chargers were well over the cap as the deadline neared and the first dominos of the new Jim Harbaugh era began to fall. Before the official start of the new NFL Year, all teams must be under the salary cap, which often positions some clubs to make difficult decisions and cut players or re-structure contracts to comply with league rules. Invariably every year some teams find themselves overextended, and thus forced to make moves or trades to sneak back under the NFL limits.

Enter the 2024 LA Chargers.

The Chargers were well over the cap as the deadline neared and the first dominos of the new Jim Harbaugh era began to fall. The team looked to the receiver position to find cap space. They first cut veteran wide out Mike Williams, a big deep threat when he was healthy. Next, they were able to re-structure the contracts of defensive players Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa but were unable to get star wide receiver Keenan Allen to agreed to do the same. The Chargers bit the bullet and traded their future Hall of Famer to the Chicago Bears and in doing so, opened the necessary cap space to comply—and to add free agents and the players they draft.

But this scorched earth was damaging. It claimed one of the most talented wider receiver rooms in the NFL, leaving the team bereft of a veteran presence.

Newly minted head coach Jim Harbaugh will emphasize the running game as he has throughout his career, but with an elite quarterback like Justin Herbert, he isn’t about to leave the receiver position in a state of disarray. Chargers veteran Josh Palmer is the team’s number one pass catcher as of now and first year man and former 2023 first round draft pick Quentin Johnston will be forced to mature much more quickly. He’s coming off an average rookie season at best and will need to step up to be an “every down” starter.

The Chargers also signed two tight ends, Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst, both known more for their blocking than their catching the ball and they still have Donald Parham, who is a red zone threat with his height. But the Chargers will need to scan the second wave of NFL free agency to sign a few free agents to add depth while likely targeting a first-round receiver talent in the draft. This year’s class is arguably as deep in the position as they come, and Harbaugh and company may end up grabbing more than one before Mr. Irrelevant takes the stage.

The 2024 draft is top heavy with quarterback talent and features six or seven teams that need to get a new signal caller. There is a good chance that the team picking fourth, the Arizona Cardinals, may trade down so another quarterback can be taken. If that is the case and with the Chargers picking fifth, they may get the superstar receiver from Ohio State Marvin Harrison Jr. If Arizona stays in the 4th spot and takes Harrison, the Chargers can still get a star receiver in Malik Nabers from LSU or trade down, pick up additional draft capital and still land players Washington’s Rome Odunze or LSU’s Brian Thomas, Jr. Whomever the player is will likely become an instant starter in Los Angeles, aiding Palmer and Johnston

from day one.

The Chargers could also opt to scan the remaining corps of free agents to help fill out the position. Veterans like Odell Beckham or Tyler Boyd are still available and Beckham is coming off a healthy season and would benefit greatly with Herbert as his quarterback. Tyler Boyd and longtime Saints wide out Michael Thomas are proven veterans and would fit right into the spot left vacant by Keenan Allen. The Chargers also lost longtime starting running back Austin Ekeler in free agency to Washington, and thus they need to find a third down back who can catch coming out of the backfield. They did sign former Ravens runner Gus Edwards, but he’s more of a between the tackles guy than a pass catcher. The best bet for the Chargers is to find a receiving running back in the draft in the mid rounds.

Justin Herbert is one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL and he just lost his two best receivers and touchdown machine Austin Ekeler. The Chargers need Quentin Johnston to step up big time in his second season in the league and will almost definitely get one of the top two wide receivers in the draft. Bringing in a solid veteran free agent WR and finding a receiving back to come out of the backfield has to be top priority for the offense to be able to keep up with the Superbowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs in the division.

Jim Harbaugh, as good of a coach he has been in the NFL and college, knows that it is going to be tough to replace the production from Keenan Allen, the deep threat ability of Mike Williams and the number of touchdowns Ekeler has scored total in the last several years. The Chargers will run a different offensive scheme than last year, that is for sure with Harbaugh as head coach, but he will need the defense to stay healthy and find enough offensive players in free agency and the draft to keep Los Angeles from faltering again this NFL season