LA Chargers that cannot afford to get hurt: Casey Hayward
The LA Chargers’ cornerback group seems to be in a good position heading into the 2020 season, that is, if everyone performs as well as the team is hoping and everyone stays healthy.
The Chargers brought in Chris Harris, who was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in the 2010 decade. As talented as Harris is, he is coming off the worst year of his career and is on the wrong side of 30. The Chargers will likely primarily use him in the slot as that is where he could thrive, not as a CB1.
But that is fine, as the team has Casey Hayward to be the CB1. Now, if Hayward got hurt, then the Chargers would have some issues.
The team could seemingly make it work on paper by moving Harris outside and moving Desmond King in the slot but King was really bad in pass coverage in the slot last season and as we said, Harris should not be a solid secondary’s CB1.
Not only that, but it puts more pressure on the other outside corner, which will likely be Michael Davis with some Brandon Facyson sprinkled in. With both Hayward and Harris out there, the Chargers can pick and choose matchups and put that position in a spot to succeed.
Without Hayward, those two guys are going to have to prove that they are capable, something that Charger fans are not comfortable thinking about.