The Los Angeles Chargers are a team that many people are waiting to see that next step from. They have a ton of talent on the roster, led by their young star quarterback, Justin Herbert. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft became the highest-paid player in NFL history a few weeks ago, signing a historic extension.
It was a deal that he earned with some incredible play on the field. Herbert owns a few records as arguably the most prolific passer the NFL has ever seen in the first three seasons of a player’s career. The Chargers are hoping that production will eventually turn into sustained team success.
However, not everyone is as high on Los Angeles heading into 2023 as other people. It isn’t because of Herbert, but instead because of his head coach, Brandon Staley. One NFL executive recently shared some harsh words about the Chargers’ head coach, saying, “a really bad coach with a great roster.”
After watching his team blow a 27-0 lead in their Super Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Staley certainly found himself on the hot seat. While he avoided being fired after that, another letdown anywhere near that level and he will be on the unemployment line.
“They just paid that quarterback, and if they don’t win now, Justin Herbert isn’t getting any younger. It blows my mind that they don’t win. If Jerry Jones had Justin Herbert, that head coach would have been fired two years ago. Guaranteed.”
Given the talent on the Chargers’ roster, it is a bit perplexing that they haven’t been able to succeed with any regularity on the field. Herbert has done all that he could, playing through injuries of his own and to the skill position players around him, but at some point, it falls on the coaching staff.
Staley has to find a way to get his players into a better position to succeed. The biggest advantage an NFL team can have is a quarterback outperforming expectations on a rookie deal. That is a luxury that the Chargers will be losing very soon, which puts even more pressure on Staley to win games in 2023.
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