The Ringer did exit interviews for all 32 teams. When it came to the Chargers, writer Danny Heifetz feels like the team should add more pass rushers in the draft. Let’s start with what they had to say there:
The Chargers crushed the 2018 draft by snagging James at 17th overall. This year, they may be wise to snag whichever pass rusher falls to them in their first round. A team never has enough pass rushers, and that was certainly true for the Chargers this season, when nobody surpassed seven sacks. Boston College’s Zach Allen could be a strong edge rusher to eventually replace Ingram, or they could get an interior presence like Clemson defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence or Christian Wilkins, or Auburn’s Derrick Brown to plug the middle alongside defensive tackle Corey Liuget, whose deal expires at the end of next year.
Personally, taking an edge rusher at the top of the draft doesn’t make much sense to me. You have Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. I totally get that you never have enough pass rushers. At the same time, the team just invested in Uchenna Nwosu in the second round last year. That’s just not a wise investment. Now an interior pass rusher? Absolutely. That’ll only make everyone around them better. Defensive tackle is a big need. One of the most important.
At some point in the draft, the team will need to address corner. That is a position that isn’t often talked about among fans. Desmond King was good last year, but his role is somewhat limited. The team needs someone that can contribute on the outside. That’s not King. Perhaps the team can find a gem later on in the draft.
Linebacker is obvious. Just looking around the league, you don’t need to invest in one early. That doesn’t mean it’s a poor investment, but for every Leighton Vander Esch, there’s a player taken on day three that can match the productivity while not costing nearly the capital.
The draft is fun to talk about when you dive into conversations like this. The closer we get, the more we’ll discuss names. Especially with the combine right around the corner.
