2019 NFL Power Rankings: Who heads into summer at No. 1?
By Ian Cummings
No. 9 – Los Angeles Chargers
Don’t look now, but the Chargers might have a top five NFL roster. Most certainly top ten.
The biggest question mark for the Chargers is their offensive line, but even there, they have Pro Bowl tackle Russell Okung (assuming his current injury won’t sideline him in September), former first-round guard Forrest Lamp, serviceable starter Dan Feeney, and veteran center Mike Pouncey.
The Chargers might not be as explosive as their AFC West counterpart, the Chiefs, but they’re solid at just about every position, aside from the line. Quarterback? Philip Rivers, of course. Receiver? Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Travis Benjamin, and riser Dylan Cantrell in the wings. Hunter Henry at tight end. On defense, a line stocked with talents like Jerry Tillery, Joey Bosa, and Melvin Ingram. A linebacking core with Denzel Perryman, Thomas Davis, Jatavis Brown, and Uchenna Nwosu.
All this, and the secondary might be Los Angeles’ most enticing area. Derwin James headlines the group as a generational talent who could single-handedly change the fate of the AFC West. At safety, he’s joined by Adrian Phillips and 2019 rookie Nasir Adderley, who has some potential of his own. In the cornerback room, there’s Casey Hayward on one side, and Trevor Williams on the other, with tenacious playmaker Desmond King manning the slot.
On paper, the Chargers’ defense is a fearsome unit, although it must be taken into account that the team’s depth, especially in the secondary, is tenuous, and the Chargers haven’t had the best injury luck over the past few years. To be fair, however, injuries don’t discriminate, so the Chargers can, for now, be accepted as the solid team they truly are. Anthony Lynn has them geared up to be a perennial playoff contender, and while there are questions surrounding the offense’s upside with no right tackle and precarious depth at receiver, it’s a team primed to compete again, in spite of its challenges.