Keenan Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears during the offseason. Fellow wide receiver Mike Williams was cut from the roster. Running back Austin Ekeler departed as a free agent as did tight end Gerald Everett. Center Corey Linsley retired because of a heart condition after 10 stellar seasons.
Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh had plenty of work to do during an offseason of change. They’ll finally get their chance to show off their handiwork Sunday when the Chargers open the 2024 season by playing host to the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium.
Did they accomplish enough through free agency, the draft and a handful of trades to make up for the loss of five such valuable and impactful players as Allen, Williams, Ekeler, Everett and Linsley? Time will tell, and time begins a few minutes past the 1:05 p.m. kickoff Sunday at SoFi.
Here’s a look at the Chargers’ revamped and retooled offense under Hortiz and Harbaugh heading into the 2024 regular season:
Quarterbacks: Justin Herbert, Easton Stick, Taylor Heinicke
The Chargers never seemed overly concerned about Herbert’s injured right foot, which sidelined him for nearly three weeks during training camp. He came out throwing strikes after a layoff because of a plantar fascia injury, so it seemed the team’s lack of worry was right on the money.
In particular, Herbert forged connections with his wide receivers, tight ends and running backs during the final week of camp. His accurate spirals were in stark contrast to those of Stick, who had an uneven camp until leading the Chargers past the Dallas Cowboys in the exhibition finale Aug. 24.
Hortiz added depth beyond Herbert and Stick by trading for Heinicke last week, sending the Atlanta Falcons a conditional draft pick in 2025. Heinicke has more experience as a starter than Stick, who filled in for the final four games in 2023 after Herbert suffered a season-ending finger injury.
As ever, the Chargers must protect Herbert at all costs.
Running backs: Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Hassan Haskins, Kimani Vidal
Ekeler was the engine that made the Chargers’ offense run, but when it became clear that the previous regime wasn’t going to give him the contract extension he sought during the offseason of 2023, he was going to be headed elsewhere. That elsewhere turned out to be the Washington Commanders.
Edwards and Dobbins were signed as free agents, and Haskins was added, too. Vidal was taken in the sixth round of the draft from Troy. Suddenly, the Chargers had an entirely new look in their backfield. Edwards and Dobbins are expected to split the main duties, as they did with the Baltimore Ravens.
Wide receivers: Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, DJ Chark Jr., Ladd McConkey, Simi Fehoko, Brenden Rice, Derius Davis.
Johnston was the first to say his rookie season didn’t unfold as he or anyone else hoped. He looked like a different player during spring workouts and, especially, during training camp. He caught almost everything thrown in his direction and was in tune with Herbert as never before in recent weeks.
McConkey (second round) and Rice (seventh) were added through the draft. Chark signed as a free agent. Palmer, Fehoko and Davis are back. Put them all together and they don’t come close to the experience and production of Allen and Williams.
Not yet, anyway.
Tight ends: Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Stone Smartt
Hortiz and Harbaugh wanted better blocking in order to establish a more productive ground game, something the Chargers have lacked consistently since the days LaDainian Tomlinson ran amok. In other words, it’s been a while, so they signed Dissly and Hurst and let Everett go in free agency.
Dissly and Hurst don’t have the playmaking ability of Everett, but they can still get open and catch a pass or two from Herbert when needed. The key is blocking for Edwards and Dobbins as well as Herbert. Again, the Chargers’ goal is to protect Herbert and keep him on his feet.
Offensive line: Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins III, Joe Alt, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Foster Sarell, Brendan Jaimes.
Hortiz could have selected any of a number of standout wide receivers with the fifth pick in the draft, dynamic playmakers who could have teamed with Herbert to make fans forget all about Allen and Williams in time. Instead, Hortiz sought better protection for the ground game and for Herbert.
So, Hortiz picked offensive lineman Joe Alt from Notre Dame, which allowed Harbaugh to shift Trey Pipkins III to right guard from right tackle. Alt, at 6-foot-8 and 322 pounds, earned the starting right tackle spot with a standout showing during the spring. Salyer, a right guard, moved out of the starting lineup.
Related Articles
Chargers new backup Taylor Heinicke settling in after whirlwind 96 hours
Chargers’ 2024 schedule: Game-by-game breakdown and predictions
Chargers sign Cameron Dicker to 4-year, $22-million contract extension
Chargers’ ground game remains mystery, at least until opening day
Chargers rookie linebacker Junior Colson finding comfort zone in NFL
Bozeman was signed to replace Linsley.
Specialists: Cameron Dicker (kicker), JK Scott (punter/holder), Josh Harris (long snapper).
Dicker, Scott and Harris proved to be as valuable and reliable as anyone on the offensive roster, with the possible exception of Herbert last season, and that might have been up for debate. Dicker earned a four-year, $22-million contract extension last week, a reward for making 50 of 53 field goals with the Chargers.