Breaking down the Chargers biggest roster weaknesses heading into 2024

This will be interesting, as we haven't really seen a speedy Chargers wide receiver core, in maybe over two decades.

We've always seen the likes of receivers like Keenan Allen, Vincent Jackson, and Malcom Floyd who are just different styles of receivers. We've never really seen a speedy core of receivers. And when the organization has tried over the years (Robert Meachum, Stevie Johnson, Travis Benjamin), they just haven't worked out.

However, in comes Ladd McConkey.

The Chargers will rely on McConkey to be a star, and I think he will be. He's the steal of the draft; he's a player that can run the route like an elite receiver and just so happens to run a 4.39 40-yard dash.

He's a player that can take the screen pass to the house. He can play in the slot and out wide. He can make the tough catches. He's everything that a first-round receiver looks like.

Running back is a concerning position for the Chargers

It's a bit concerning that a Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman offense, that will certainly include a lot of running, has Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins as the main feature backs.

It's not to say that I don't like these two.

Edwards is a player coming off of a 13-touchdown season and Dobbins clearly has a lot of talent, but just never could seem to stay healthy. Edwards will be the reliable running back who when you give him the ball, does his best to gain yards.

Dobbins is the true wild card. He's clearly more talented than his stats show, and that's just because he just never stayed on the field. But when he did, he ran a bit like Le'Veon Bell, showing patience and finding running lanes.

The Chargers then drafted Kimani Vidal in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, who looks promising. He's a no-nonsense, downfield runner that is one of those players who will always find a spot on a 53-man roster year in and out.

However, it is risky to potentially rely on a sixth-round pick who is used to playing against universities such as SF Austin or WKU.

Inside linebacker is a weakness that could surprise Chargers fans

This is a toss-up.

Fans are very high on third-round pick Junior Colson, who is believed to be a steal in the third round.
Colson is a sideline-to-sideline linebacker that will cover the entirety of the field. He's a player who isn't hesitant to step up and take on a blocker while keeping his head on the ball carrier.

The main question is if Colson can replicate his play for Michigan at the NFL level, particularly as a rookie. That is a question that is impossible to answer without seeing it live during the season.

Then comes one of my favorite underrated pick-ups of the offseason. Denzel Perryman came home, re-signing with the team that drafted him to help bolster the linebacker position in LA.

Fans are no strangers to Perryman. He fits the Harbaugh scheme perfectly in terms of how he plays within the confines of the defense. While he clearly struggles against the pass, Perryman is the perfect guy that Harbaugh will use to shape the defense because of his hard-hitting nature.

So why this a weakness? Because neither player was a full-time starter on an NFL roster last season.

Perryman had his best years with the Raiders after leaving the Chargers, even making the Pro Bowl, but was not able to earn a new contract with the Texans last year after a one-year stint.

Colson is clearly promising, but he's still a third-round pick and a rookie who will take time to develop with the talent of the NFL.

Time will tell.