Chargers Wide Receiver Position… As It Stands Today

Nov 17, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Diego Chargers wide receiver

(16) is tackled by Miami Dolphins cornerback

(28) during their game at Sun Life Stadium. Miami won 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The wide receiver position for the San Diego Chargers still has missing pieces. Last season, there were a ton of options and it seemed to be one of the deepest positions on the roster. Injuries ruined that and now it is lacking the depth. There still will be moves made with the NFL Draft and undrafted free agents and we could possibly add a name through free agency still.

As it looks today, here is what the roster looks like:

Seyi Ajirotutu: Tutu has been a solid contributor to the special teams and he should have received more reps during the regular season with Vincent Brown struggling. He made that huge catch against the Kansas City Chiefs, but still couldn’t find time on the field. He will be fighting for a roster spot again this preseason. He showed he is a strong player on special teams and that should help him win a spot on the roster. He still has to show that he can help out on offense. Mike McCoy didn’t trust him on the filed much last season, will he trust him this coming season?

Keenan Allen: Allen is a stud. There is no other way to put it. He is a rising star and will lead this team in the passing game. He draw all the attention of the defense and he still finds ways to get open and make plays. Allen will need some help to loosen up the coverage on him though. If Malcom Floyd can get back on the field, it would be a huge help for Allen. Allen could see a lot of double teams if nobody steps up on the other side. He is one of the starters on the roster, but who will be starting opposite of him?

Vincent Brown: Brown needs to step it up in the preseason or he could find himself without a job. Brown was the starter all of last season and was a big disappointment. He never was able to get consistent production on the field and there were a number of times when Philip Rivers and him were on different pages. There is going to be some competition for his job and he will have to step up and produce. There was high hopes for Brown while he was in Norv Turner’s offense, but those hopes are wavering now.

Malcom Floyd: If Malcom is able to return to play some football, then it would be a huge upgrade to the offense. Floyd would be able to take a starting job and would be a perfect compliment for Keenan Allen. Having Floyd, Allen and Royal on offense would be a nice group of receivers for the team, but it would also have a couple of injury prone guys that are depended upon. Floyd can help stretch the field and has good chemistry with Philip Rivers. Floyd has to think about his future outside of football though. Will he even play next season?

Dontrelle Inman: Inman was a member of the CFL for the last couple of seasons and was one of the team’s leading receivers. He has good size and gained some experience with the CFL and he will get his chance to make a roster with the Chargers. The position doesn’t have much depth, so Inman might have a decent shot at making the roster.

Tobais Palmer: Palmer will be a hungry youngster that is fighting for a job in the preseason as well. He was on the team’s practice squad last season and will have the upper hand with familiarity with the players and plays, but he still has a lot of work to do. There will be a lot of young receivers brought in during training camp that will push for roster spots.

Eddie Royal: Allen and Royal are the only players that seem locked in for their roster spot for the coming season. Malcom would be locked in also, but he still has the thoughts of retirement floating around him. Royal is a solid option at the slot position for the team. He was one of the best threats in the red zone for the offense last season despite his lack of size.

The depth at the receiver position isn’t the greatest at the moment. With Malcom Floyd in limbo, the team could have even less depth at the position. Keenan Allen and Eddie Royal look like the only sure locks for the roster and Seyi Ajirotutu might have a better shot at making the roster over Vincent Brown at this point. There will be some rookies added onto the roster via the draft or undrafted free agents that will get their shot at making the roster as well. The team looked at a few options in free agency this offseason like Steve Smith, but they were not able to land anyone on the roster. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team add a vet onto the roster to compete for a job in the preseason.