In a surprising move made earlier this month, the Los Angeles Chargers decided to part ways with Joe Barksdale. With the Chargers inching their way to the playoffs, they need a plan now and for the future to cement the right tackle position.
Sam Tevi hasn’t been terrible filling in for Barksdale during these last couple of weeks, but the Chargers need to find someone to solidify the right tackle position. Tevi is not that man, he has had his share of troubles dealing with pass rushers with speed. For the Chargers to get everything they want out of Philip Rivers, they will need all of the protection they can get to keep Phil upright.
Forrest Lamp’s Time to Shine
As a fan of Lamp, I have been waiting for the game that he is no longer a healthy scratch and can finally play some football. I believe that this is his best opportunity to AT LEAST get some playing time.
In my opinion Lamp’s best position would be at right guard so that means sliding Michael Schofield to right tackle which he played a lot of last year. Just to get a full evaluation I would slot in both right tackle and guard positions for a series each to see which position he fits best in. Whether it’s Lamp or Schofield, I believe that either or will be an upgrade at the position.
Looking Into Free Agency
I am going to be beating a dead horse until this man is on this team. The Chargers need to get ANTONIO GARCIA. The tackle coming out of college looked like a bonafide stud, but he later found out that he had blood clots in his lungs which sidelined him for some time, stunting his developmental growth.
It shocks me that Garcia has yet to play a down in the NFL. As a senior, Garcia did not allow a sack in his final season at Troy, has the makeup to be an outstanding pass protector and if you watched his game tape, you can see the tenacity and ruthlessness that he brings to the table in the run game, something we need in a right tackle.
He is on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad now, but the Chargers have the ability to sign him to their 53-man roster, which we need too. I see Garcia being a premier left tackle in the NFL, but for now, since we need a right tackle, I see him stepping into that role nicely.
Another candidate that is on the free-agency market is tackle Austin Pasztor. Pasztor is a lineman that has experience across the offensive line and that’s what the Chargers love in their players.
It wasn’t long ago that Pasztor was looked at as one of the better right tackles in the NFL with his 2016 campaign having him finish with a respectful PFF grade of 72.5.
What Pasztor is most known for is how he went from struggling with pass protection to learning and using newly found techniques to hone in his skill set to become a better pass protector. Pasztor seems like a guy that Anthony Lynn and Pat Meyers would fall in love with so hopefully if signed, he can help bolster the right tackle position to help out Rivers.
Waiting for the Draft
There is only one draft prospect that the Chargers should draft or even look to, to fulfill their need of a starting right tackle and it is the right tackle out of the University of Florida, Jawaan Taylor.
Taylor is a monster of a man, listed at 6’5″ and 334 pounds, he is extremely athletic for a man of his size if you see his kick slide and his footwork, it is literally watching a dancing bear.
Taylor is so athletic there are some scouts that want to see this young man stay in school and try to move his talents to the left side of the line. As a Chargers fan I don’t want that, we need Taylor now, we don’t need his stock to rise higher so we won’t have the ability to select him and we need Taylor as a right tackle.
As a pass protector, Taylor makes it seem like he is the Great Wall of China, knowing how to use his leverage to keep pass rushers at bay.
More from Bolt Beat
- LA Chargers: 3 early takeaways from 2021 minicamp thus far
- LA Chargers: Drue Tranquill takes a jab at Gus Bradley’s defense
- LA Chargers second-year players: Nothing to lose and a lot to gain
- LA Chargers: Why running back could be a big issue for the Bolts
- LA Chargers: Chris Rumph’s upside is Melvin Ingram-like, but better
Now time to talk about Taylor’s strength. He should be in a power-blocking scheme which Lynn likes to run. he opens holes and demolishes opponents and plays throughout the whistle. He knows how to get to the second level and locate linebackers to seal the hole and make the running back’s job 10 times easier.
Taylor looks like an All-Pro tackle in the making, of course, he can be sloppy sometimes and weight can be an issue but those are all things he can fix. He has the skillset, the talent, and the drive to be a franchise tackle for the Chargers.
What I would do if I was Tom Telesco and was able to make the moves that I want to make is first off, I would get Garcia from the Colts and see if he has the potential that I believe he has, plug him into the right tackle position for now and develop the kid to become a franchise left tackle.
Then in next year’s draft. get Taylor and cement both tackle positions for the future with those moves. With those two, and having an interior line that consists of Dan Feeney, Mike Pouncey, and Forrest Lamp, the Chargers will set Rivers up nicely to close out his career with arguably the best line that he has had.