Chargers Moving Forward with Tyrod Taylor at QB for 2020
After former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady opted not to join the Los Angeles Chargers, the team had to determine whether to pursue other veteran signal-callers in the free-agent and trade markets or stick with their top in-house option, Tyrod Taylor.
It appears they have made a decision. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Chargers will forgo adding a veteran quarterback this offseason and will instead move forward with Taylor behind center for 2020.
When the Chargers signed Taylor last offseason, they did so with the understanding that longtime starting quarterback Philip Rivers might not return after the 2019 season. That scenario indeed played out, with the team and Rivers mutually deciding to part ways earlier this year. While Taylor doesn't offer the upside of Brady or some of the other available veterans like the Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton, he has started 46 games in his career and has familiarity with Los Angeles head coach Anthony Lynn from their shared time with the Buffalo Bills.
But while the Chargers have settled on Taylor, the decision doesn't preclude them from adding a rookie in the 2020 NFL Draft. The team currently holds the No. 6 overall pick and has the required draft capital to trade up for a coveted prospect if necessary. While LSU's Joe Burrow will likely go off the board first overall, Los Angeles could still realistically land Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon's Justin Herbert, or Utah State's Jordan Love, each considered a potential early first-round selection.
Regardless of how the rest of the offseason unfolds, the Chargers will have their first new starting quarterback since Rivers entered the lineup in 2006. That moment will mark a sea change for the organization when it arrives.
-- Jason B. Hirschhorn is an award-winning sports journalist and Pro Football Writers of America member. Follow him on Twitter: @by_JBH
