Offensive Line is the biggest need for the Chargers according to PFF

In a recent article by Pro Football Focus’ Ben Linsey where he listed each of the 32 NFL team’s biggest needs, the Chargers were once again pegged with their biggest need being the offensive line.

Here is what Linsey had to say about the position as a whole:

“The Chargers’ offensive line has been the biggest deficiency on their team for some time now. They haven’t had a team pass-blocking grade ranked higher than 26th in the league since the 2014 season. That’s five years of bottom-of-the-barrel performances, and that begins to take a toll on an offense. They had dismal play from tackles Sam Tevi and Trent Scott, combining to allow 88 quarterback pressures — second most among tackle duos this season. The interior offensive line play wasn’t a whole lot better, particularly from Dan Feeney, who earned a 51.2 overall PFF grade. It’s going to take a lot to overhaul this line, but the Chargers need to start the process.”

In terms of secondary needs, Linsey suggest the Chargers should pursue a heir-apparent at quarterback and some additional help along the interior of the defensive line.

Here’s what he had to say about those two spots:

“The man that line has protected — Philip Rivers — enters an interesting offseason where several veteran quarterbacks have contract situations up in the air. The Chargers must decide whether they want to give it another shot and run it back with a roster that was more talented than the results would indicate this season or if they want to move on at quarterback. Los Angeles also needs to add depth at interior defensive line after a disastrous rookie season for Jerry Tillery in which he was the lowest graded player at the position in the entire league.”

The last line of that paragraph is a real doozy. Absolutely dead-last out of every single defensive tackle in the entire NFL? Well, optimism would tell you that you can only go up from here! So hopefully, it does.

With the Reese’s Senior Bowl right around the corner to finish out the month of January. there are a number of players to keep an eye on at each of the positions listed by Linsey.

Guys like Prince Tego Wanogho, the left tackle from Auburn, and Justin Herbert, the lauded quarterback from Oregon, headline the players that the Chargers should be keeping a close eye on. And with at least three Senior Bowl players drafted in each of the last three NFL drafts, fans should start getting acquainted with those down in Mobile because it’s highly likely that a handful of them will be wearing the powder blue by the start of the 2020 season.