USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Chargers enter the new season with hope for a much brighter future. The franchise has seen some troubling results over the last few years, but with the new addition of Jim Harbaugh to lead the team, they are hoping for more contention.

For the first time since the late 2000s, the Bolts feel like they could be turning a new lead. Harbaugh brings a new energy to the mix that this team hasn't had in a while, and players are fired up to play under him.

While the Bolts did finish with a poor 5-12 record on the season last year, they did enter the season with high expectations. Now, with the new leadership, the Bolts can start to make moves to put themselves into a place to contend for Super Bowl titles.

According to one ESPN analyst, it could come much sooner than anyone would expect. Mike Tannenbaum is predicting that the Chargers will make the Super Bowl next season, falling just short to the Detroit Lions.

"Mike Tannenbaum, NFL front office insider: Lions over Chargers. The Lions will benefit from both coordinators returning to Detroit after Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn each attracted head-coaching interest, and this time I expect the team to win the NFC Championship Game and win the Super Bowl. I see them holding off QB Justin Herbert, Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers in a close game."

Per Mike Tannenbaum of ESPN

Reaching the Super Bowl would be an incredible accomplishment for the Chargers in the first season under Harbaugh. But this team could do it with star quarterback Justin Herbert in the mix.

He gives them a chance each time out, and if they can fill the rest of the roster with talent, the Chargers could be a sleeper team in 2024. A worst-to-first story would be fun for Los Angeles, but they have a lot of work to do before we can crown them in any capacity. 

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