While their AFC West division rivals were adding key offensive pieces to their rosters, the Los Angeles Chargers went a different route.
Acquiring Khalil Mack, a linebacker who has averaged nearly 10 sacks per season since making his NFL debut, gives the Chargers two elite pass rushers. Mack now joins defensive end/linebacker Joey Bosa. Then, the Bolts brought in J.C. Jackson, who had 25 interceptions in the last four seasons with the New England Patriots.
It wasn’t all about the defense. A year after hitting the jackpot with offensive tackle Rashawn Slater in the middle of the first round of the 2021 draft, Los Angeles went to addressing its offensive line. selecting Boston College’s Zion Johnson in the first round of the latest draft.
The NFL predictions had the Chargers as a playoff team in 2021. They didn’t earn a berth, so that’s their goal this season.
LA’s tied (+250) for the second-shortest odds to win the AFC West Division title. According to the Las Vegas odds, the Chargers (+1400) are third among AFC teams in odds to win the Super Bowl.
- 2021 record: 9-8 (third in AFC West)
- Playoff results: Did not qualify.
- Season opener: vs Las Vegas Raiders, Sept. 11th, 4:25 p.m. EDT
- Playoff teams on 2022 schedule: HOME – Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee. ROAD – Arizona, Kansas City, Las Vegas, San Francisco
- Key newcomers: LB Khalil Mack, CB J.C. Jackson, DL Austin Johnson, LB Kyle Van Noy, LB Troy Reeder, TE Gerald Everett, DL Morgan Fox, CB Bryce Callahan, DL Sebastian Joseph-Day, OL Zion Johnson (first-round pick), S J.T. Woods (third-round pick), RB Isaiah Spiller (fourth-round pick).
- Key losses: LB Kyzir White, TE Jared Cook, RB Justin Jackson, DT Linval Joseph, LB Uchenna Nwosu, DT Justin Jones.
Award candidates: Joey Bosa, +2000 in NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds; Khalil Mack, +2000 in NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds; Justin Herbert, +2200 in NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds; Isaiah Spiller, +3300 in NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds; Austin Ekeler, +5000 in NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds; J.C. Jackson, +5000 in NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds; Keenan Allen, +6000 in NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds; Mike Williams, +8000 in NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds.
Chargers on Offense
With Justin Herbert at quarterback, Austin Ekeler at running back and the duo of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams as wide receivers, this isn’t a fun team for opposing defenses and/or defensive coordinators. Herbert finished second in the NFL with 5,014 passing yards last season, as the tandem of Allen and Williams each eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards. All Ekeler did was tie for the NFL lead in touchdowns with 20.
dudes rock 🙂 pic.twitter.com/LxsvQ5WIGJ
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) June 16, 2022
There were a few raised eyebrows when the Chargers addressed the interior of the offensive line in the draft, selecting Johnson in the first round rather a player at the right offensive tackle slot.
It will be interesting to see how fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller fits into a crowded group of running backs. At tight end, Jared Cook is out and Gerald Everett is in. LA will get younger at the position and they hope to be more explosive with Everett joining the team.
Chargers on Defense
After finishing 23rd in the NFL in total defense (30th in scoring defense) last season, the Los Angeles Chargers went to work to improve personnel on that side of the ball.
It wasn’t just Mack and Jackson as additions, as former Super Bowl champions Kyle Van Noy and Troy Reeder were brought in as linebackers. Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox and Sebastian Joseph-Day are tasked with bolstering the defensive line, while cornerback Bryce Callahan is another new addition.
LA used top-50 picks on safety Derwin James and linebacker Uchenna Nwosu in 2018, defensive lineman Jerry Tillery in 2019, linebacker Kenneth Murray (2020) and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (’21). It is hoped the tough lessons learned a season ago are going to pay dividends this season. LA lost leading tackler Kyzir White, as well as veteran defensive tackle Linval Joseph.
The Chargers dealt their second-round pick in the trade for Mack. They also worked on getting the dynamic pair of Derwin James and Nasir Adderley help at safety by taking Baylor’s J.T. Woods in the third round.
Chargers’ 2022 Outlook
Brandon Staley is hoping Year 2 of his stint as Charger coach goes better than his first. LA disappointed on some level, the 9-8 record a testament to inconsistent play. However, the front office didn’t sit idly by, tweaking the roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Remains to be seen how quickly all the new parts fit together on the defensive side of the ball. There’s little question that the 2022 Chargers are a more skilled group than the 2021 edition.
The NFL betting line has set the regular-season expected win total for the LA Chargers at 10. It won’t be a surprise to see them better that number.
After opening the season against the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs-a pair of division rivals who reached the playoffs in 2021-LA next faces six straight opponents who didn’t qualify. There will be a chance for the Chargers to get off to a strong start in 2022. That wasn’t the problem in Staley’s first season, as the Chargers won four of their first five games. With so many new players, securing some early wins could make this one of the AFC’s marquee teams this season.
The Chargers were 0-2 in overtime games, and lost three other games by seven points or less during the 2021 season. Near misses which left the team feeling as if the 2021 season was one of unfinished business. The AFC West figures much more competitive, however.
There, not only are the Kansas City Chiefs favored to win the division for the seventh season in a row, but the Denver Broncos traded for perennial Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson and the Las Vegas Raiders acquired Davante Adams, quite possibly the best receiver in the NFL.
The LA Chargers aimed to retool the roster to challenge in a division that’s improving.
