Since it’s so very early in the year, this will be a somewhat abbreviated preliminary report. Undoubtedly, you’ve heard that the new Chargers HC will be former Chargers QB Jim Harbaugh, who has a history of success as a head coach, both at the college and professional levels. In my view, this is a major upgrade from former HC Brandon Staley, who I was never impressed by. Obviously, many of the Chargers’ assistant coaches will be changing, with the likely exception of the quarterbacks coach, special teams coach and a few others.

These coaching changes have some talking Super Bowl in 2024. While Harbaugh is good, you don’t turn a 5-12 team into a Super Bowl champion overnight. This team has many problems, from top to bottom. Many players are often injured, they have a significant lack of depth, and key players are getting old, by NFL standards.

One of the few areas where the team should be in good shape is at quarterback. Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert is, arguably, one of the NFL’s top 5 quarterbacks. And if Herbert is healthy, they are in great shape at that key position.

But look at the running back position. They’ve got nothing. It’s likely that RB Austin Ekeler will be gone, and he certainly had an off year in 2023. Who else does the team have who has the potential to be a quality starter this year? No one. Obviously, the team can improve upon this via draft or free agency, but it’s an area of concern.

In terms of Chargers wide receivers, WR Keenan Allen, historically hurt often, stayed healthy in 2023 and had a surprisingly solid year. But Allen will turn 32 this year, which means that his shelf life is questionable. WR Mike Williams can’t stay healthy, and I suspect he’s gone. There are other receivers who could step up, WR Josh Palmer and WR Quentin Johnston come to mind, but again, there are issues here too.

Other than the quarterback position, this team has a lot of holes and issues. Even the defense suffers from a lack of depth, and often injured players who are getting old. Will DE Joey Bosa remain with the team? Maybe, but again, he’s a player who is good when healthy, but when he’s on the sidelines injured, he doesn’t do the team a bit of good.

In short, Harbaugh was a terrific hire, but there are many problems that this team needs to address. Obviously, the situation will clarify in the coming weeks and months.

End.