The Los Angeles Chargers finished with a 9-7 overall record last season, good for second place in the AFC West. Head coach Anthony Lynn is entering his second season winning six of the last seven games. Although the Chargers won six of their last seven games, they started the season 0-4 and could never fully recover. However, some of their losses could have easily been wins. So all things said, the Bolts have a great shot at winning their division this year and maybe much more! The Chargers are rated 11th overall in the latest NFL Power Rankings.
In free agency, the Chargers signed TE Virgil Green and three time Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey, as well as backup quarterback Geno Smith, to shore up their offense. Appearing in two games for the Giants last season, Smith completed 21 of 36 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown. The Chargers were not shy about their desire to upgrade the kicker position in 2018. After signing Roberto Aguayo in January to join Nick Rose, the club also picked up former Eagles’ kicker Caleb Sturgis. The Florida product has connected on 81 percent of his field goals over the last five seasons and should compete for a starting role next year.
The Chargers struck gold in the 2018 NFL Draft by picking defensive back Derwin James from Florida State. He really should not have been available by the 17th overall pick, but the Chargers pounced. A couple of outlets named him college football’s best overall player. In late June, Sports Illustrated had made the case for James as No. 1 in its Top 100 players list.
The Chargers pass rush is one of the best in the league, with the likes of Melvin Ingram, Joey Bosa and Corey Liuget. Adding Derwin James to the mix is really something special. Look for the Chargers to be ferocious on defense. You don’t find that too often in this league and everybody is excited.
On Offense, the Chargers have one of the best quarterbacks in the league as Phillip Rivers continues to impress with his toughness and very accurate passes. Chargers tight end Hunter Henry will be an integral part of the Chargers offense for 2018. From the moment he burst onto the scene in 2016, Henry’s role continued to grow. Last season as he started 13 of the 14 games he played. The 6-5, 250-pounder caught 45 passes for 579 yards and four touchdowns. Now, the 23-year old enters 2018 the lead dog at the tight end position as the team recently announced Antonio Gates would not return for the coming season.
The AFC West is an interesting division. Kansas City, Oakland, and Denver are all either changing coaches or QBs. At the moment, SD has the fewest roster holes and the most stability. How the rest of the division addresses their needs will determine if SD should be the favorite or not. Did I say SD?
More good news: Las Vegas likes the Chargers! In a recent study, (since the draft) the Bolts moved up the ladder significantly regarding futures, ahead of all teams in their division and 11th overall in the NFL.
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