Author: Dallas Robinson

2) Find a dynamic safety: The Chargers’ secondary was a bright spot during a disappointing 2016 campaign, as the club ranked ninth in DVOA against the pass and allowed an 83.8 rating to opposing quarterbacks, good for sixth in the league. Cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett both missed most of the season due to injury, but Casey Hayward proved to be one of the best free agent signings of 2016 as he morphed into a shutdown corner.

The back end of the defense, however, could afford to be reworked under new coordinator Gus Bradley, and that process should start with the re-signing of Jahleel Addae. Although he missed eight games with a broken collarbone and managed to play only 510 defensive snaps, the 27-year-old Addae graded as the league’s 12th-best safety, according to Pro Football Focus, which gave Addae strong marks against both the run and pass. Addae, whose positive attributes were highlighted last year in an excellent piece by SB Nation’s Jamie Sewell, is a pending free agent, but shouldn’t come at a high cost given his recent injury history and limited track record.

Los Angeles still needs another playmaker next to Addae (who typically plays close to the line of scrimmage), and veteran Dwight Lowery, signed last offseason to replace franchise legend Eric Weddle, isn’t the answer. Lowery is actually signed to a reasonable enough contract — with cap hits of $2.5MM and $3MM in 2017 and 2018, respectively — that he could be retained as depth. More likely, however, the Chargers will part ways with him, creating $2MM if they make Lowery a post-June 1 cut.

If the Bolts don’t opt for an offensive lineman with the seventh overall selection, the club should use the pick on a safety to pair with Addae, and they should get a shot at one of the top defensive backs in this year’s class. Ohio State’s Malik Hooker is viewed as a more rangy safety than LSU’s Jamal Adams, who is thought to be more of an enforcer type, but both should be in consideration for the Chargers. Of course, given that Hooker and Adams are looked at as top-five players in the 2017 class, both could be selected before LA gets its chance. In that event, the Chargers could go with Budda Baker (Washington), whom Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com compares to the Cardinals’ Tyrann Mathieu, in the early second round.

During the free agent period, the Chargers are unlikely to be involved in the Eric Berry market, but Tony Jefferson would seem to be an ideal fit next to Addae. Jefferson, 25, surprisingly wasn’t signed to an offer sheet by a rival club in 2016 despite playing extremely well the year prior, and instead returned to Arizona on a cheap RFA tender. He improved even further, ranking as PFF’s No. 5 safety last season, but it’s possible the rest of the league views Jefferson as a product of the Cardinals’ defense. Still, he’d be a worthwhile risk for Los Angeles.

Other free agent targets for the Chargers could include Barry Church (Cowboys) or Micah Hyde (Packers), but another interesting crop of safeties could soon hit the market after being released by their current clubs. Marcus Gilchrist, notably, could soon be cut loose by the Jets, and a reunion between he and the Chargers would make a lot of sense. The Cardinals’ Tyvon Branch and the Saints’ Jairus Byrd could also come aboard if they’re released in the coming months. Finally, Bears restricted free agent Demontre Hurst might be viewed as a valuable depth option given that Chargers assistant defensive backs coach Chris Harris previously worked with Hurst in Chicago.

3) Add depth at the skill positions: Los Angeles’ 2016 offense was, in a word, average: the club finished 19th in offensive DVOA, 14th in yards, and ninth in scoring. Quarterback Philip Rivers posted a quarterback rating of 87.9, a tick below his career average of 94.7, but the Chargers did boast four breakout offensive assets in running back Melvin Gordon, wide receivers Tyrell Williams and Dontrelle Inman, and tight end Hunter Henry.

The Chargers’ offensive outlook should be positive going forward — especially if their offensive line is corrected — but questions remain about No. 1 wideout Keenan Allen, who suffered a season-ending injury for the second consecutive season, going down in Week 1 with a torn ACL. Allen was taken out by a lacerated kidney in 2015, so it’s probably not fair to call him injury-prone given the nature of that freak injury. However, it’s fair to wonder if Los Angeles, new head coach Anthony Lynn, and holdover offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt have questions about Allen’s long-term availability.

Given that, LA could stand to add another pass-catcher this offseason, whether it be through free agency or the draft. Most players who’ve hit the open market are, obviously, veterans in their late-twenties, but Marquess Wilson (24) and Justin Hunter (25) will hit free agency with youth still on their side. Neither has offered much production during their short respective careers — Hunter’s 498 receiving yards in 2014 represents the career-high between the pair — but perhaps receivers coach Nick Sirianni could mold them into a useful parts. The Chargers ranked 29th in special teams DVOA last season, so a potent returner such as Oklahoma’s Dede Westbrook would be a valuable addition early on Day 2 of the draft.

Running back, meanwhile, clearly doesn’t need to be addressed with an early pick after Gordon rebounded from a poor rookie season to post 10 touchdowns in 2016, but the Chargers may target a backup — especially one capable of playing in the passing game — in order to give Gordon the occasional breather. Gordon handled 254 carries last year (10th in the league), and famously rushed the ball nearly 350 times during his senior year at Wisconsin, so he can certainly take a beating. But adding a veteran back such as Travaris Cadet, Jacquizz Rodgers, or Andre Ellington might help the offense as a whole. Re-signing Danny Woodhead, who is coming off his second major leg injury in three seasons, is also a possibility, while a late-round draft pick — such as Boise State’s Jeremy McNichols or UL-Lafayette’s Elijah McGuire — could be in the cards.

Finally, given that Rivers isn’t getting any younger, the Chargers might look to select a developmental quarterback in this year’s draft. Now 35, Rivers is signed through the 2019 campaign and likely isn’t going anywhere soon, but San Diego would do well to plan ahead at the QB position rather than waiting until it becomes a necessity. Davis Webb (Cal), Joshua Dobbs (Tennessee), Seth Russell (Baylor), and Sefo Liufau (Colorado) are among the signal-callers that could be on the board when Los Angeles turns it its card on Day 3.