The Reality of the Los Angeles Chargers’ Situation

This is not where Los Angeles Chargers fans wanted to be a month into the season, but the harsh reality is that they’re 0-4, and it’s time to pick a direction.

Rather than try to salvage this season, go on a hot run and get close to .500 to close out the year, where they may or may not make the playoffs, or potentially sneak in as a wild card team that likely isn’t good enough to make a deep run anyway, the Chargers should angle for a high draft pick.

That’s not to say they should try to be the worst team in the NFL, but as it relates to Justin Herbert and ensuring he’s healthy long term, getting young guys developmental reps and potentially even trading off key veterans like Khalil Mack to recoup some draft capital, the Chargers have an opportunity to use this as a gap year to get the team healthier for next season, more rapidly develop younger players and put themselves in a position to be even better next year.

With a high draft pick in this upcoming loaded class, a few of their developmental pieces rounding into shape and everybody being healthier overall next season, this could be a really dangerous team. Again, that’s not where Chargers fans wanted to be four weeks into the season, but that is the reality.

In theory, an 0-4 team could turn it around and make the playoffs, but given how tough the Chargers’ division is and how bad they’ve looked through the first four weeks, it doesn’t make sense to try to push for a postseason appearance at all costs.

While they shouldn’t egregiously try to tank the season or pull any drastic levers, they should be cautious and careful with how they approach the rest of the year.

It’ll be interesting to see how these next two weeks go because, depending on the results, that could really force Los Angeles to choose a direction one way or the other. But the Chargers should take a long, hard look at doing everything they can to make next season the one in which they take a significant leap forward, rather than trying to salvage this one.

These are strategic moves that franchisees are forced to make from time to time and it’s important to remember that one down a season doesn’t necessarily mean the direction of the franchise is headed to the wrong way. It’s just circumstantial and part of the process.