Chargers roster ranks 25th by PFF ahead of 2021 draft

For record-keeping purposes, it’s a normal act by fans to take a mental screenshot of their favorite team’s roster prior the year’s NFL draft. It makes things much easier to look back on to compare and see just how much better - or worse - the team got through the offseason’s most-anticipated three-day stretch.

The folks over at Pro Football Focus recently did just this by ranking each of the 32 rosters in the league ahead of the 2021 draft.

So where did the Chargers land on this list? You’re probably not going to like it because they landed at number 25.

25th.

According to PFF, they have the eighth-worst roster in the NFL.

Before I get into it, here’s the entire excerpt about the Bolts from author Anthony Treash:

“The Chargers’ offensive line has undergone a complete makeover this offseason, and understandably so; the 2020 group was the second-lowest-graded of the last decade. New signees Corey Linsley and Matt Feiler, along with a healthy Bryan Bulaga, should move this group closer to average and help quarterback Justin Herbert avoid major regression in Year 2, as a lot of his rookie success came in unstable areas like pressured passing. The concerns really lie on the defensive side of the ball. Edge defender Joey Bosa and Derwin James are both clearly among the best at their respective positions when healthy, but things look rough outside of those two. The Chargers rank among the bottom five teams in the NFL when it comes to 2020 WAR on their current defense.”

This is certainly a rough blow to the fans who believe this team is just a few pieces away from being a real contender. Before the 2020 season, the Chargers were seen as having the most elite secondary in the entire league. One that had four former All-Pros in Casey Hayward, Chris Harris Jr., Derwin James, and Desmond King. By the end of the season, Harris missed almost half the season, King was traded, and Derwin didn’t see a down of play after missing the entire season with a torn MCL.

Life comes at you fast, as they say.

Now, with a roster that seems bare at a number of important positions — like edge rusher and cornerback — it’s easy to understand why some may be fairly low on the group. If injuries don’t wreak havoc for the third year in a row, this team can surprise. If they come back with the same vengeance they always seem to, Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco better hope they nail a good chunk of their nine total picks in this week’s draft.

But I want to hear what you all have to say about this ranking. Is it too low/high? Is it just right? Let me know.