Chargers keep missing free agents, chances to fix biggest problems

To their credit, the Charges have made a few quality moves this year. They traded for pass-rusher Odafe Oweh and that’s paid off big already. 

Trading for offensive lineman Trevor Penning…not so much. 

Saunders, though, was a chance to immediately address a big problem. What’s apparent by now is that the Chargers have two major weaknesses this season: 

• The Chargers defense collapses when it can’t stop the run
• The Chargers offense can’t play from behind

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The Chargers lost Poona Ford in free agency and never really recovered. Teair Tart needs a running mate. Saunders wasn’t the first miss available via trade or free agency in this regard. 

And given the season-ending injuries to Joe Alt And Rashawn Slater, it’s not too shocking that Justin Herbert’s offense isn’t any good when forced into one-dimensional passing situations while playing from behind. 

Kicking off the big with a solid free-agent signing (and fixing the limited cap space issue later) would have been a nice sense of urgency on display from the Chargers.

Maybe they’re just waiting until later in the middle of the break for that sort of thing, though.

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