The Los Angeles Chargers notched one more in the win column last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, but there are still aspects of this team that will make them susceptible late in the year when they will be fighting for a wild-card playoff spot, as they have just a five percent chance to win the AFC West according to The Athletic’s Playoff Projections.
3 Chargers Must Have Trades To Reach Playoffs
Wide Receiver
Ladd McConkey had a great breakout game — one of the best by a wide receiver last week — against the 23rd-graded coverage team in the league, one of the worst the team has faced all season. His standout performance of six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns only goes to show how desperate the Chargers are for a receiving threat.
The team’s two top receivers are McConkey and tight end Will Dissly. Nothing against those two, but both can be removed from the game plan by competent coverage and good tackling. Which is what they will find in the playoffs.
The last best option for the Chargers is Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins. The Bengals season is far from what was expected, now sitting at 3-5. Higgins sat out Week 8, signaling he is looking to be traded to a contender. So far in five games this season, he has caught 29 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns. And that is on a team where he is not the top-receiving threat.
The 6’4″ 219-pound receiver would offer Justin Herbert a proven big sideline threat like he had in Mike Williams and like other receivers the team has brought on, but who have failed to manifest as viable threats.
Interior Pass Rusher
It may be surprising that a team that prioritized two edge rushers when settling their cap crunch this offseason, but the Chargers have one of the league’s worst pressure percentages. They are second to last, behind just the Carolina Panthers.
The Chargers rebuild interior has been stout against the run, but lacks a quality pass rusher. Their top option at the position is Morgan Fox, who has 13 pressures. That is 33rd among just interior linemen.
With how the Miami Dolphins season is shaping up they may be willing to part with the 17-year veteran Calais Campbell. According to PFF’s pass rush productivity, Campbell is the league’s fifth-best interior pass rusher. Despite having played 19 fewer reps on passing plays, he has five more pressures than Fox. Campbell is also graded as the league’s fourth-best run defender at his position.
Running Back
With Gus Edwards on the injured/reserve the Chargers are down to just JK Dobbins as a viable threat in the running game. And for an offense that likes to run the ball, and looked dominant earlier in the season, that could spell trouble as reps take their toll on Dobbins, whose career has thus far been defined by his injuries rather than his performance.
The Chargers could look to the pathetic Carolina Panthers to meet this need. Chuba Hubbard is averaging 5.2 yards per carry behind an underperforming offensive line. This could actually be a long-term solution at running back for the Chargers with Dobbins’s deal expiring after this season.
