Chargers News: NFL Insiders Believe Chargers Regressed Following FA
There have been so many mixed reviews regarding the state of the Los Angeles Chargers following their first slew of free agency moves. Everybody knew coming into it that they weren't going to be able to be too bold with their cash like they were last year, especially with Justin Herbert's next payday quickly on the way.
Drue Tranquill bolted from LA after they opted to bring in Eric Kendricks and he will now be suiting up for the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers already have been struggling big-time to guard runs effectively and the loss of Tranquill, who just had his best season, will not take them in the right direction by any means.
Opportunities will still present themselves as these weeks go on for the Bolts to address these needs. Bobby Wagner has been a free agent that's still available linked to LA and the 2023 draft also has some young talent that will be up for grabs. However, numerous experts from The Athletic do not love the Chargers free agency moves thus far and they look specifically at the loss of Tranquill.
"It’s Groundhog Day,” one exec said. “Eric Kendricks is three years older than Drue Tranquill and has a lot more mileage on him. If Kendricks misses five games in his age-31 season, are we going to hear about more bad injury luck for the Chargers?"
“It is hard to imagine a team being that leveraged when they are probably the fifth- or sixth-best team in the conference, they haven’t won a playoff game in four years and they just lost to the Jags,” an exec said.
Eric Kendricks is coming off a season where he helped the Minnesota Vikings win their division and recorded 137 tackles. He was named an All-Pro back in 2019 and was regarded as one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. However, Minnesota was looking to go in a different direction with younger talent.
Therefore, Kendricks will have a chip on his shoulder this season. As long as he stays healthy, I see no reason as to why he shouldn't continue his usual production. I do see where the experts are coming from though with the years he's been through already.
