Charging to L.A.
Chargers’ fourth year wide receiver Keenan Allen breaking a tackle against the Indianapolis Colts.
As of January 2, the San Diego Chargers finished their season at 5-11, and for the second year in a row, they are last in the AFC West.
The Chargers´ record highly suffered from over 10 season ending injuries this year. However, if players on the injury reserve had been healthy, they may have had a better record and potentially a spot in the playoff race.
With Melvin Gordon showing promise after a struggling rookie season and defensive rookie of the year runner Joey Bosa ending the year with 10 sacks, the Bolts are looking at a rebuilding phase with the number seven pick in the upcoming draft. In the last two drafts, the Chargers snagged many steals in the later rounds such as Joshua Perry, Jatavis Brown, Hunter Henry, Kyle Emanuel, and Darius Philon.
In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Chargers will look to address their offensive line, front seven, safeties, and wide receiver production aside from Keenan Allen. In the first round, they could look at defensive tackle Johnathan Allen from Alabama, safety Malik Hooker from Ohio State, offensive tackle Cam Robinson from Alabama, or safety Jamal Adams from LSU.
In the second round, the Chargers could get Christian McCaffrey from Stanford to be a third down receiving back in a one-two punch with Melvin Gordon, or DeDe Westbrook from Oklahoma to be another target for Philip Rivers to hit. Danny Woodhead will be turning 31 years old and he will be a free agent. The Bolts would love to have a young backfield going into the future, as Philip Rivers has about 3 years left in the league.
With the firing of Coach Mike McCoy towards the end of week 17, I believe the Bolts would possibly take a look at a coach that is experienced or defensively minded. The top options for the Bolts would be Saints head coach Sean Payton or former Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith for experience. The New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia or even the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator, Vance Joseph for defensive expertise.
The head coach that I would think best fits the Bolts is Matt Patricia. He has had numerous Super Bowl appearances with great defenses in New England and a winning mentality that will help mature the young players on the Charger’s roster.
With the Chargers potentially moving to Los Angeles, it has torn apart many fans in San Diego. I would be devastated if the Chargers left to join the Rams in Los Angeles because I am a diehard fan and have been there for the heartbreaks, the growth of Philip Rivers, and the free agents who left San Diego. By moving to Los Angeles, the Chargers would not only lose a city, but a fanbase that is dedicated to them. There are numerous fan-bases in LA like the Rams, Raiders, and possibly the 49ers. A major possibility is that their division rival, the Oakland Raiders, might move to San Diego. How would it feel coming to a place that you loved and seeing your loyal fans as potential Raider fans?
San Diego has backed up the Bolts in every part, except in Measure C. Measure C was a case to build a downtown stadium for the Chargers near the convention center. Less than a third of San Diego’s citizens voted yes and the Los Angeles controversy has risen. If 66 percent of the people in San Diego voted yes, it would have provided a tax on hotels and it would have brought many more economic aspect. This would provide more business sales and production in a city that is already amongst the most popular in the world.
With this point, the Chargers would lose money in LA as opposed to staying in San Diego. They would be the only football market in San Diego and with a new stadium it brings more profit and the opportunity to host a Super Bowl in San Diego.
Jake Fitzgerald is a senior and an original member of The Sage Creek Times . He hopes to become a successful sports journalist in the future for a major...