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Los Angeles Chargers 2019 season typical of Dean Spanos regime

By Mark Liedahl

DENVER - JANUARY 02: Dean Spanos, President and CEO of the San Diego Chargers, looks on from the sidelines late in the game against the Denver Broncos at INVESCO Field at Mile High on January 2, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Chargers defeated the Broncos 33-25. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER - JANUARY 02: Dean Spanos, President and CEO of the San Diego Chargers, looks on from the sidelines late in the game against the Denver Broncos at INVESCO Field at Mile High on January 2, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Chargers defeated the Broncos 33-25. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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The 2019 season has been a rough one to accept for this Los Angeles Chargers fan.

Expectations were high as the season approached. As injuries mounted in the preseason it should have been clear. Dean Spanos‘ Los Angeles Chargers will always find a way to disappoint.

The Chargers finished the 2018 season with a 12-4 record and were expected by many to compete for the Lombardi Trophy in 2019. They just needed to get healthy and possibly deeper at linebacker and they absolutely had to fix the offensive line. Simple stuff, so it would seem.

What do the Chargers do? Sign an aging linebacker in Thomas Davis and draft Sioux Falls offensive lineman Trey Pipkins in the third round of the NFL Draft. Pipkins may turn out to be a decent offensive lineman one day- but there was no way anybody thought that he could actually help the offensive line anytime soon.

As injuries mounted in the preseason around the league, the Chargers stood by and did practically nothing as other teams raced to sign players and make trades to fill holes. Personally it was then, during the preseason that I like many fans of this team, started to grow frustrated.

If the Chargers would simply do the things that winning teams do, then they could have competed better in 2019. Instead, the Chargers rolled out on game days featuring backups and players simply not up to the task.

So as this sad 2019 season mercifully comes to a close what should newer fans expect moving forward? It is pretty clear that things will be changing on the offensive side of the ball.

Will the Chargers go after one of the marquee names in free agency? Will the Chargers make a splash on draft day and go for one of the top prospects? All unknowns for sure.

Expecting big-name signings will only leave you waiting and disappointed. I find it best to set expectations low and be happy when the Chargers on occasion rise to the level of competent and make a good signing.

While many would love to see the Chargers go after a Tom Brady in free agency or a Joe Burrow/ Justin Herbert type in the NFL Draft. A Jameis Winston signing is much more likely. A route the Chargers might look at that I find intriguing is the possibility of signing Marcus Mariota.

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Imagine him and Tyrod Taylor as the Chargers quarterbacks. Both play a similar style of football, have proven capable in stretches, and both would be cheaper options that could fit what the Chargers want to do moving forward offensively.

Thankfully there are only two more games to suffer through before this season officially ends. Then we will finally begin to see just what the plan is moving forward. I find myself more interested in who will be the Chargers starting quarterback in 2020 than any interest in the last two games left to play.

Regardless of what takes place between January and the start of the 2020 season do not expect the Chargers to swing for the fences this offseason. Keep your expectations low and simply hope for the best.

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