Chargers release first ‘unofficial’ depth chart

The Chargers released their first depth chart of the 2020 season on Tuesday, and I’ll tell you right now, there’s some notable surprises to discuss.

But before we jump right in, it’s important to remember that this depth chart is “unofficial,” which means you should simply take this all in stride because nothing is 100% true until the team hits the field on Sunday.

Alright, let’s take a look at the offense.

Chargers.com

The offense actually doesn’t have a ton of surprises or questionable decisions. The offensive line is made up of everything we expected it to be, along with the rest of the starters at the skill positions. The first thing that catches my eye is the inclusion of a third starting wide receiver spot. Does this mean the team will feature more 3WR sets? Actually, that could be it, seeing as the team did not keep a fullback on its’ initial 53-man roster.

If so, it looks like Jalen Guyton is the guy right now behind Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. After Guyton, we will have to wait and see who’s next in line for snaps, especially with Williams missing the first game or two. My money is still on K.J. Hill.

Other than that, the offense is pretty cut-and-dry.

Now let’s dive into the defense.

Chargers.com

OK, first off, what’s the deal with the linebacker assignments. Drue Tranquill behind Kyzir White at SAM? Nick Vigil is a MIKE? Emeke Egbule playing WILL? None of those make a ton of sense. But I’ll remind everyone again these roles don’t mean a thing until game day gets here.

Tranquill only played MIKE last season as a rookie and it was fully-expected that he would compete with Perryman to start there in 2020. SAM linebacker doesn’t see the field anywhere near as much as the MIKE and WILL do, so why would Tranquill play a spot that effectively limits his snaps significantly? All the backup roles need to be swapped. Tranquill needs to go to MIKE, Vigil needs to go to WILL, and Egbule belongs at the SAM.

There. I fixed it.

No surprises along the defensive line or secondary. Chris Harris Jr. will start outside in base defenses with Michael Davis coming in on Nickel. King will see time in the slot still, but it looks like the idea of him playing some safety is also coming true. Lastly, a year later than we all wanted, Nasir Adderley is starting for the Chargers.

Chargers.com

Kicker, punter, and long snapper are all locked-down tight. After an offseason of uncertainty involving King’s continued responsibility as the team’s punt returner, it looks like he’ll be keeping his job for the foreseeable future. Also, Joe Reed is getting the nod at kick returner, which is awesome to see. It should also be noted that Hill is listed as the backup for both return jobs. Even without blazing speed, he’s talented enough to be trusted there.

With all of that being said, what do you all make of the team’s initial depth chart, even if it can’t be trusted all that much? What are your actual predictions for what we’ll see on Sunday?