Sometimes it’s easy to read between the lines, especially when a very blunt man in khakis spells it out quite clearly. New Los Angeles Chargers’ Head Coach Jim Harbaugh isn’t what one would call a “beat around the bush” type. Actually, he’s a “go in with a shovel and dig the bush out” type. So when Harbaugh recently spoke at the NFL league meetings, his intentions couldn’t be covered with an infield tarp.
Coach Harbaugh spoke at length about the importance of offensive linemen.
“If I asked you the question of what position group depends on no other position group to be good but every other position group depends on them to be good, what position group is that? Offensive line,” he said at NFL owners meetings this week. “They’re not relying on any other position group. Every other position group relies on the offensive line to be good.”
If you know anything about this man, you know that he likes to play a physical brand of football that obviously starts up front with maulers on the O-line. The run-first, smashmouth style is his signature, and if the Chargers can’t run the ball, he’ll find players who can make it happen.
Harbaugh likely to target NFL Draft’s best lineman
All signs seem to be pointing to the Chargers taking Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt. The former Fighting Irish team captain had as dominant a year as any lineman in the country and had a great showing at the combine. Not only is Alt the consensus #1 lineman in this year’s draft, but some experts such as Pro Football Focus’ draft analyst Trevor Sikkema, are calling him a “near perfect prospect.”
Does Alt fit the needs of Coach Harbaugh and the Chargers
Draft experts agree that offensive line is a major need when it comes to improving this team. Quarterback Justin Herbert is in the midst of a seven-year, $292 contract that runs through the 2029 season. All can agree that protecting such an investment needs to be a priority. Alt would be a nice piece for Harbaugh and the Chargers to build around and would go a long way in keeping Herbert upright. He’s ranked as an elite prospect across the board and would make sense for Los Angeles.
While the Chargers need to fill voids at multiple positions after losing Austin Ekeler, Gerald Everett, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams, Harbaugh, and company are smart enough to know that to build a program, the offensive line is the place to start the overhaul. Joe Alt would serve as a great, safe pick at fifth overall or a little lower if they trade down a spot or two. If Alt is added, who would have it better than Harbaugh and Herbert? Nobody.
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