LOS ANGELES _ When the first ball is snapped inside the delightfully intimate StubHub Center and the Chargers really become Los Angeles' team, they'll have an opportunity to truly build a fan base and a buzz around the team.
In the meantime, they're kind of stuck.
Still working out of offices that say "San Diego Chargers" on the facade, the team's slogan ("Fight for L.A.") has become a long-distance cry. As they try and find a slice of their new town's attention, they might be tempted to do something ill-conceived, to make a splash in order to get their new town talking.
Luckily, obtaining two or three mega free agents wouldn't solve the needs in the Chargers' personnel. And their checkbook won't allow for it, either.
With a modest budget and their biggest ticket item _ pass rusher Melvin Ingram _ franchise-tagged, the Chargers enter free agency and draft season needing to get a little better on a lot of different fronts to try and impress their new market on the football field.
Ingram was (and is) the top priority. A dynamic rusher who is also tough against the run, the Chargers want him lining up opposite of rookie sensation Joey Bosa, possibly giving the team the top pass-rushing ends in the league.
"Pass rush wins in this league," Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco said last week. "We have Joey Bosa on one side. If we don't have Melvin Ingram, we have a pretty big hole. We like what we've seen from Melvin. I think he still has room to get better, too."
While Ingram can play under the franchise tag, Telesco said the goal is to sign the 27-year-old defender to a long-term deal, and if the team can do so, it allows Telesco a chance to structure it in a more salary cap-friendly way.
The Chargers have also had discussions with free-agent running back Danny Woodhead and safety Jahleel Addae about returning to the team. If things sort out the right way, the Chargers could land another top-tier guy this off-season, though a lot of smaller, marginal upgrades seem more likely.
Still, outside help will be needed to make sure the on-field product has people in Los Angeles talking.
