The Los Angeles Chargers parted ways with numerous key offensive weapons this offseason, including long-time wide receiver Keenan Allen.
The Chargers traded Allen to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round draft pick, a rather unceremonious end to what was a brilliant career for Allen in Los Angeles (and San Diego).
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine is not a fan of the move by the Chargers as a result of the rather lackluster return and the fact that LA’s receiving corps is now pretty barren in terms of proven talent.
Not only did the Bolts subtract Allen, but they also released Mike Williams and watched running back Austin Ekeler and tight end Gerald Everett walk in free agency.
It could be a tough year for Chargers QB Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert is going to be in for a challenging 2024 campaign.
Yes, the Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach, a move that has drawn rave reviews. However, Los Angeles also took away all of Herbert’s most reliable weapons.
Herbert was already dealing with criticism as it was, so now, things are even hairier for him heading into his fifth NFL season.
So, who exactly does Herbert have at his disposal at this point?
Los Angeles is hoping that 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston will establish himself as the club’s No. 1 receiver, but that’s a tall task for a guy who caught just 38 passes for 431 yards and a couple of touchdowns during his rookie campaign.
The Bolts also have Joshua Palmer, and they drafted Ladd McConkey in the second round this past April. While there is certainly talent within that group, there are also plenty of question marks.
Herbert missed the last four games of 2023 due to a finger injury, but when he was on the field, he threw for 3,134 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 65.1 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 93.2.
The 26-year-old has gone just 30-32 as a starter since being selected with the sixth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, which has resulted in many questioning just how good he really is and whether or not he is worth the massive $262.5 million contract extension he signed.
We’ll see if Herbert can overcome the loss of so many critical pieces this September.
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