TAKING STOCK: 2022 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

BY ADAM GREENE

It’s a moment that will go down in NFL lore and will probably hang on Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley’s head for the next calendar year. The Chargers saw their season come to an end in Week 18 in an overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. It was a game that could have gotten both teams in the postseason with a tie. The Raiders, who had the ball in the final possession of OT, were content to take a knee and send both teams into the Wild Card Round.

Then Staley called a time out to try to give his team one more chance with the ball. Vegas took that personally and the Chargers would be forced to watch the playoffs on their home couches.

But there’s no question this is one of the league’s better teams and last season, barring the sad trombone at the end of the season, they were significantly better under Staley’s direction.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

2021-22 Record: 9-8, third place AFC West

Playoffs: N/A

NOW WHAT?

The Chargers proved this past season they can play with anybody, splitting with the Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs and knocking off the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals in the regular season. The problem came against inferior opponents, with bad losses against the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos (after the Von Miller trade).

Los Angeles has to shake off those kind of performances, because those two losses alone cost them a spot in the postseason. It won’t help in 2022 that they draw the NFC West as their cross-conference games. They need to down the cupcakes when they show up on the schedule.

FREE AGENCY

The focus leading up to free agency should be all about keeping wide receiver Mike Williams. Justin Herbert has had two great seasons and big part of that was the fact that he’s playing with a loaded wide receiver corps. Jaylen Guyton is a good No. 3, but for the Chargers offense to remain scary, they need to line up Williams opposite Keenan Allen. There’s no one they’ll draft at No. 17, unless Jameson Williams drops that far, that will have Williams’ impact and he won’t be ready to see the field until November at the earliest.

DRAFT

Speaking of the draft, I have LA taking Jordan Davis, defensive lineman out of Georgia replacing Linvale Joseph, who I’d let walk in free agency. Outside of that position, they need to continue building their offensive line. At No. 48, there’s a good chance Trevor Penning, offensive lineman, from Northern Iowa could be there. At No. 79 in the third, the can look at adding Davis Georgiea teammate, linebacker Channing Tindall or cornerback Martin Emerson out of Mississippi State.

AFC WEST

The AFC West is loaded, with three teams that finished with winning records and one of the best franchises in the sport in the Chiefs. The Chargers, roster wise, aren’t that far away and if they’d been able to capitalize on Kansas City’s early season stumbles, LA could have held down a playoff spot this past season.

I see them as a Wild Card team that could be dangerous, especially if they draw an AFC South opponent in the opening week of the playoffs.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

Connect with us our socials on Twitter and Instagram for the latest sports news, viral moments, betting odds and the occasional memes.