In April, the Chargers will have an opportunity to beef up their roster via the 2023 NFL Draft. But for now, it’s all about free agency. Who will be added and who will be lost. Here’s an early look at the team, as things currently stand.

QB: This is one area where the situation is crystal-clear. QB Justin Herbert is young and is one of the NFL’s top 5 quarterbacks, in my view. If he is injured, they have a problem, but as long as Herbert remains healthy, they are in great shape at the position. Former free agent Easton Stick has re-signed with the Chargers and may well be Herbert’s primary back-up. QB Chase Daniel is an unrestricted free agent, as of this writing. At 36 years of age, I am not sure the team would bring him back, unless his asking price is good.

RB: Somewhat surprisingly, the Chargers have given RB Austin Ekeler permission to seek a trade to another team. Ekeler is highly productive, keeps himself in great shape, and at the age of 27, particularly given his fitness levels, appears to have a lot of good football left in him. Letting Ekeler go would be a huge mistake, in my opinion, as there is no other running back on the roster who has anything close to Ekeler’s abilities, based on what we have seen so far. You may see the Chargers add a running back in the draft.

WR: It appears that WR Keenan Allen, WR Mike Williams and WR Josh Palmer will be the teams top 3 wideouts. While Allen is still playing at a high level, at age 30 and seeing more injuries than he did in the past, it would makes sense for the team to add to this position in the upcoming draft.

TE: Backup TE Donald Parham, Jr. has re-signed with the team. Parham plays like a big wide receiver, but he has had trouble staying healthy.

PK: It boils down to PK Cameron Dicker and PK Dustin Hopkins. Dicker has a clear edge due to his youth, only 22 years old vs. 32 for Hopkins, accuracy, and much cheaper contract. It’s probable the team will cut Hopkins outright, which is probably the right thing to do, so that he can find a new home early-on.

DEF: The Chargers lost LB Drue Tranquill to the Chiefs in free agency. I think this is a big loss, as Tranquill was solid in all aspects with excellent tackling skills and technique. While they lost Tranquill, they signed veteran LB Eric Kendricks, although candidly, I would have rather seen them retain Tranquill. Otherwise, the Chargers have not made any major moves in terms of their defense. Their needs remain the same, depth at linebacker, a big-bodied run stuffer, and edge pass rushers. I’ll have more updates as the April draft approaches.

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