LA Chargers: Ranking the 2020 impact of offseason additions

Second-highest 2020 impact acquisition: NT Linval Joseph

Linval Joseph, a free agent acquisition from the Minnesota Vikings, is the massive run-stopping interior defender that the team has been missing since the days of Jamal Williams.

After the Los Angeles Chargers were gouged in the run game by the New England Patriots in the 2018 Divisional Round, it was clear that the Chargers needed a run-stuffer. They attempted to address that in 2019 with Jerry Tillery and Thomas Davis. Linval Joseph will prove to be a better solution for this purpose than those two.

Against the run, Joseph is a massive space-eater who limits the abilities of opposing offenses to run up the middle. Against the pass, Joseph is effective enough with bull rushes and swim moves to limit the ability of opposing defenses to double team the Chargers edge rushers.

While Joseph is aging, his age should be less of an impact on his game than it would be at another position. It is worth noting that Joseph had a bit of a down year in 2019, but this can be mainly attributed to some injuries that he battled through. As long as Joseph is healthy and ready to go, he should be an impact player for the Chargers this year.

Top 2020 impact acquisition: OT Bryan Bulaga

There is without a doubt no other position on the Chargers’ roster that was improved as much as the right tackle position was upgraded in this offseason with the transition from Sam Tevi to Bryan Bulaga (Iowa).

Bryan Bulaga, Iowa pic.twitter.com/1kQY7gj8oR

— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) March 19, 2020

The impact of offensive linemen on a roster is often difficult to parse out, as their perceived performance can be changed by a great number of factors including the linemen beside them, their running back, and the speed at which their quarterback releases the football.

However, tackles tend to be the most valued linemen, as they are the ones tasked with facing the elite edge rushers. The rate at which edge rushers will come flying off of the right side of the line will massively decrease this year.

According to PFF, the Chargers are going from one of the worst offensive linemen at the right tackle position in Sam Tevi (at a grade of 59.0) to the second-best in Bryan Bulaga who graded out at 77.8.

Simply put, offensive tackle is the third-most valued position on the football field, and the LA Chargers got an elite player at that position. That is enough to give Bryan Bulaga the title of the offseason addition that will have the most impact on the 2020 season.